Prayer Diary: Central African Republic

The Central African Republic (CAR) has been plagued with violence for years, but this escalated after a coup in 2013. Civilians continue to pay the highest price in these clashes; in the first six months of 2017 thousands were displaced, and hundreds injured or killed. On 19 June a Catholic peacebuilding group brokered a peace agreement between 13 of the 14 main armed groups and the government. However, within days, clashes were reported with an estimated 50 people killed and 42 injured.

Prayer Diary: Egypt

As the number of terror attacks continues to rise, human rights are being restricted in the name of counter-terrorism making life increasingly difficult for ordinary Egyptians. Despite the president taking some encouraging steps, Egypt still has many challenges to deal with: challenges that well bring to God in prayer this week.

Prayer Diary: North Korea

How do you begin to pray for one of the most repressive, infamously brutal and closed off regimes in the world? Sometimes it can seem that praying for North Korea is impossible, given the shocking and widespread human rights violations the government commits against the population. But we believe in a God who can move mountains, part oceans and, even more incredibly, move human hearts. Lets continue to pray for the people of North Korea this week.

Prayer Diary: India

India is one of the most diverse countries in the world and yet, despite the guarantees in its constitution protecting freedom of religion or belief, Christians and Muslims are still being attacked by Hindu nationalists. Its an increasingly worrying situation: but we know God will answer our prayers powerfully.

Prayer Diary: Sudan

Sudan has been on our minds a lot in the last couple of years, following the trial of four men on unjust charges: Mr Abdumawla, Reverend Kuwa, Reverend Hassan and Mr Jaek.

Prayer diary: CSW at the UN

On 19 April this year, CSW finally received UN accreditation after eight years of campaigning! Thank you so much for praying so faithfully for our application over so many years. This is an amazing blessing that will really benefit our work for freedom of religion or belief: not just at the UN but all over the world.

Prayer Diary: Pakistan

Pakistan is a diverse and vibrant country, but sadly, rising tensions are making life increasingly difficult. Vaguely worded blasphemy laws are misused to settle personal scores and punish religious minorities, children are taught using biased textbooks, and Christian and Hindu girls are abducted, forcibly married to Muslim men and made to convert. These are just a few of the issues: but we pray knowing our God is big enough and powerful enough to answer all our prayers!

Prayer Diary: China

In 2015 the Chinese government began a mass crackdown of arrests and harassment of human rights defenders. Since then, hundreds of lawyers and their family members and colleagues have been detained or disappeared, just because of their work defending human rights including religious freedom.

Prayer Diary: Indonesia

Its the worlds largest Muslim-majority nation, and it used to be celebrated as a place where many religions coexisted peacefully. However, in more recent years, Indonesias reputation has turned to something darker. With rising religious intolerance, including the high-profile blasphemy trial of the former governor of Jakarta, were seriously concerned about the state of religious freedom in Indonesia.

Prayer Diary: Mexico

Imagine not being able to go to school, use your taps or shower, or go to work just because youre not the same denomination as your neighbours. Thats the situation faced by many religious minorities in Mexico: a difficult and frustrating experience thats made worse by cases often going unresolved for years.

Prayer Diary: Pakistan

This week join us in praying for Pakistan. CSW has worked in this country for many years alongside partners such as Michelle Chaudhry, who works on minority rights with the Cecil & Iris Chaudhry Foundation. As tensions have, unfortunately, risen in Pakistan, weve been right there to help those caught up in it in the most effective way we can.

Prayer Diary: Blasphemy

A lot of our work for religious freedom involves blasphemy laws. Blasphemy is the legal term for insulting a religion, and blasphemy laws are designed to protect a particular religion from criticism. This can lead to violence against religious minorities and punishing people just for their faith.