North Korea is the most dangerous country to be a Christian.
WHERE FAITH IS DANGEROUS
The World Watch List 2024
What would your Christian life look like if you lived somewhere else? Would you be imprisoned for your faith, followed by secret police, or kidnapped by extremists?
The World Watch List reveals the 50 most dangerous countries to be a Christian. Produced annually by expert analysts, the World Watch List is the most authoritative of its kind.
Discover the places where believers are forced to choose between faith and freedom.
Persecution across the world
World Watch List
World Watch List
2024 Report
Find out the regions where persecution is growing most, and the trends impacting global persecution.
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WORLD WATCH LIST
SCORING
EXPLAINED
Our expert researchers measure developing trends in Christian persecution each year from 1 November – 31 October through on-the-ground interviews and data collection. In over 70 countries, we uncover where the Church is most persecuted.
There are two main ways Christians experience persecution: violence and pressure.
Violence
Based on the number of violent incidents in the reporting period.
Pressure
Measured in five spheres of life: private, family, national, church, and community.
Each country receives a score based on a detailed report of violent incidents and the five spheres of pressure. These are added up to a score out of 100, creating each country’s rank on the World Watch List.
latest from the persecuted church
FEATURED
STORIES
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Pray for South Korean Pastor Arrested in Russia
Russian authorities have arrested South Korean pastor, Baek Kwang-Soon, in Vladivostok on espionage charges, Russian press agency TASS reported. Global…
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IndiaPray for India | 200-Strong Mob Attacks Church
Christians are in shock after a 200-strong mob attacked a church in Telangana State, India, leaving 22 Christians injured. After…
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NigeriaPray for Nigeria | Over 200 Schoolchildren Abducted
On Thursday, 7 March 2024, more than 200 children were taken from the primary and secondary schools in Kuriga village,…
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Burkina FasoPray For Burkina Faso | 15 Believers Killed
On Sunday, 25 February 2024, at least 15 believers were killed during morning mass at the Catholic Church in north-eastern…
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North KoreaAn Update from North Korea
Recently, several North Korean Christians told us how much they appreciate the support the worldwide Church has made possible. Through…
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New Translation of the Bible Launched in Indonesia
A 20-year dream and hope for the Moi tribe in Papua, Indonesia, has finally been realised: they now have a…
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Spark of Hope for Gaza’s Children
On 31 January 2024, children who found shelter in the buildings of the Catholic and Orthodox churches in Gaza City…
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SyriaTurkeySyria | One year on from the earthquake
This week, a year ago, families in Turkey and Syria endured one of the largest earthquakes the region has ever…
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MyanmarMyanmar | Church Bombed During Sunday Service
On Sunday, 7 January, a church was bombed when the Burmese military launched airstrikes in Kanan Village, Sagaing Division, south…
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SudanSudan | Presbyterian Church Set Ablaze
On Friday, 12 January 2024, around noon, the Evangelical Presbyterian Church in the city of Wad Madani in Sudan was intentionally…
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YemenPray For The Yemeni Church
365 million Christians now persecuted for their faith The number of Christians across the world who are suffering persecution and…
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NigeriaNigeria | Christmas Eve Attack
Nigeria: Over 100 Killed in Christmas Eve Attacks Please pray for Christians affected by brutal attacks in Plateau State, Nigeria….
WORLD
WATCH
LIST FAQs
How is the World Watch list put together?
The first World Watch List was produced in January 1993. Countries’ overall persecution scores are an amalgamation of six different scores. This year’s list covers the period 1 Oct 2021 – 30 Sept 2022.
Released at the beginning of each year, the list uses extensive research, data from Open Doors field workers, their in-country networks, external experts and persecution analysts to quantify and analyse persecution worldwide. Each edition is certified by the International Institute for Religious Freedom.
Read: 30 Years Of The World Watch ListHow can we pray?
Please stand with us in prayer. As Open Doors founder, Brother Andrew, says: “Our prayers can go where we cannot… there are no borders, no prison walls, no doors that are closed to us when we pray.” Ephesians 6.18 reminds us, to ‘keep on praying for all the Lord’s people.’
Each quarter we release a prayer guide to help you in praying for the Top 50 countries on the World Watch list. Prayer points have come from our partners on the field and the families and communities they serve. Whether you pray alone or with your bible study or group, we know your prayers are powerful and effective.
Sign up to get a Prayer Guide delivered every quarter.
Sign up todayHow can my church get involved?
We love when churches get involved in learning about the persecuted church. We have resources for you or your pastor to share in church and information to help you pray and support your suffering brothers and sisters in Christ.
Find out moreHow can I help?
We need to stand with our suffering brothers and sisters. Here’s three ways to help:
- Pray: One Afghan believer said, ‘it’s only because of you, because of your prayers that we are still here. If it had not been for your prayers, we would be long gone.
- Give: The needs of the persecuted church are constant. Emergency relief and trauma counselling after an attack; Support to rebuild churches and homes; bibles and Christian resources to strengthen believer’s faith.
- Share: One of the reasons the World Watch List was created was to grow a greater awareness of the depth and breadth of persecution against Christian. Help share the stories of the persecuted church through your church, small group and online.
WHERE PERSECUTION COMES FROM
WHAT TYPES OF PERSECUTION DO CHRISTIANS FACE
Our experts use nine broad categories to measure the source of persecution:
- Islamic Oppression – Any violent or non-violent action used to bring countries, communities, and households under Islamic control.
- Religious Nationalism – Using the country’s majority religion to imply Christians do not qualify as citizens.
- Clan Oppression – Instances where a clan or extended family ensures the ongoing practice of traditional values or belief systems by force.
- Ethno-Religious Hostility – When one ethnic group subjects another to hostility based on their religion.
- Christian Denominational Protectionism – Making one Christian denomination the only legitimate expression of Christianity in the country.
- Communist and Post-Communist Oppression – To monitor and control Christians and churches through a system based on communist values.
- Secular Intolerance – To eradicate Christian expression from public life and impose atheistic secularism.
- Dictatorial Paranoia – Persecution derived from an authoritarian government which does everything to maintain power, including tearing down organised groups like Christians.
- Organised Corruption & Crime – Gangs and criminal groups create a climate of anarchy and corruption for selfish gain. Christians will often speak out against them and become targets for persecution.
“If someone is willing to kill me for my faith, my God must be powerful.”
Sara, Egypt