The plight of religious refugees is a pressing issue in today’s world. Refugees often face harrowing journeys and uncertain futures. Some flee to neighboring countries for hope of sanctuary, even if temporary. Some are forced to leave home but are forced to stay in their homeland, as they do not have the resources to leave. Some make it to Western countries and willingly face unfamiliar circumstances and cultures just to feel safe.

This article will define a refugee and what makes a religious refugee. It will paint a picture of the status of the religious refugee crisis in the world. It will give specific examples of some of the circumstances these refugees are facing. This article will also give some hope as to what can be done and what is being done to help.

International Definition of a Refugee

The 1951 Refugee Convention and its 1967 Protocol defines a refugee as a person who is outside his or her country of nationality or habitual residence; has a well-founded fear of being persecuted because of his or her race, religion, nationality, membership of a particular social group or political opinion; and is unable or unwilling to avail him or herself of the protection of that country, or to return there, for fear of persecution.

A religious refugee follows this definition, but specifically for fear of religious persecution. The fear of religious persecution makes them unable or unwilling to return to their home country. Some of the specific examples of what refugees may face include loss of their homes, separation from their family, and struggle to find safety and acceptance in a new country.

Statistics

According to the United Nations Refugee Agency, there are over 100 million people that are considered displaced. It is hard to pinpoint exactly how many of those displaced people are considered to be displaced for religious reasons. The estimated figure is that at least 30 million are displaced due to religious reasons. These following statistics are from western countries that have brought in refugees who claim religious reasons. The following statistics are from https://religiousrefugees.org/statistics/:

In Canada, 10,000 out of 90,000 migrants claimed the reason for fleeing was due to religious persecution between 2013 to 2017.

In the United States, 37% of refugees were religious minorities in 2016. Between 2002 to 2017, Christians dominated the refugee arrivals in the U.S., making up 46%. Muslims were next with 33%.

In the United Kingdom, many churches have reported a rise in asylum seekers, mostly from the Middle East and Central Asia.

In Australia, most refugees that come to Australia are of the Christian or Muslim faiths. Since 2000, about 51.5% of refugees settled in Australia are Christian and about 34% are Muslims.

It is hard to find further statistics because even if refugees are part of a certain religion, that does not mean that they fled their home countries for religious reasons. Many organizations that help refugees settle into their new home don’t ask why refugees may have fled. They often just accept who they are without any questions. Sometimes, probing people who have gone through a crisis can force them to relive trauma.

Examples of populations fleeing due to religious persecution

There are many examples of countries under threat because of crises relating to religion. Here are a few of these examples of situations where people being displaced may be considered religious refugees. The following statistics are from https://www.uscirf.gov/
  
Iran: Many people from minority religions have fled from Iran since the 1979 Islamist Revolution. Minority religions include Baha’is, Christians, Jews, Sabean-Mandeans, and Zoroastrians. Even if these minorities try to find sanctuary outside of Iran, they are still endangered by being pursued by the Iranian Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC). Many religious minorities seek shelter in Turkiye because it is geographically close. The issue is Turkiye authorities often deny refugees protection from the IRGC for religious minorities. The Iranian government also arrests those whose identities do not conform with Ja’fari Shi’a Islam. These identities include those outside of religion, such as sexuality.

Nigeria: For more than a decade, militant Islamist groups in northern Nigeria have used violence to replace government authority and to base laws in interpretation of Islamic law. They have also utilized violence for territorial control, and raise funds through illegal taxation. As of 2022, there are about 300,000 Nigerian refugees gloablly, most of which are in the neighboring countries of Cameroon, Chad, and Niger. A further 2 million are considered to be internally displaced. Internal displacement means that people have to flee their homes but are still within their home country. 

Syria: Since 2011, Syria’s ongoing political conflict and humanitarian crisis have significantly affected the country’s religious and ethnic demographic. Not only have ethnoreligious minorities have been fleeing Syria, but people in Syria’s Sunni Muslim majority have also been fleeing. More than half of Syria’s pre-war population has faced displacement. This crisis is one of the largest refugee and displacement crisis ever. There has been about 6.9 million Syrians internally displaced, and 6.6 refugees displaced globally. Many Islamist militants, including Turkish-backed Syrian groups, offshoots of Al-Qaeda, and remnants of the Islamic State of Iraq and Syria (ISIS), have targeted religious minorities with religious and ethnic cleansing.  Syria was home to ancient Christian communities. ISIS has decimated those communities. If those in that community weren’t killed, they have become refugees.

Other countries that could be considered examples that weren’t expanded upon in this article include Afghanistan, Myanmar, Central African Republic, China, Eritrea, and Iraq.

How do religious refugees integrate into a new environment and culture?

People who flee from their home to escape persecution are faced with a new problem when they arrive in a new country. That problem is integration. They must face a new environment, new circumstances, and a new culture. Some even move to countries where they don’t understand the language. They also may be going from a country where they’re a part of the majority religion to a country where they’re now a part of a minority religion. It is certainly scary for them to come to a new country where they may or may not be accepted. Luckily, there are organizations that help religious refugees integrate into their new environment and help them make their new country a home.

Forth Valley Welcome, which is a sanctuary for refugees in the heart of Scotland, is one of the organizations in the UK that help refugees integrate into a new environment. The work they do includes welcoming families and helping integrate families into their new community. They also work with stakeholders to help provide education, language learning, and employment to refugees. They also advocate on the behalf of refugees seeking sanctuary.

Elizabeth Fairgrieve, who is the volunteer coordinator at Forth Valley Welcome, helped highlight how religion plays a role in refugees’ integration: “One of the most important things for us, is to ensure that our staff and our volunteers are educated about the various religious groups we support. It is vital for us that people feel respected when we are supporting them, even when we don’t share those beliefs. We treat everyone with kindness and dignity.”  

Refugees have to find a balance of learning how to integrate into a new environment while still holding onto identities from their home. Fairgrieve says that religion is often one of those identities. “Religion absolutely plays a huge role in New Scot identity. It’s a way for people to bond over shared beliefs and festivities, whether New Scot or not. Even in a country that is historically mostly Christian, the Ukrainian population that has come to Scotland has showed us a different way of celebrating the same holidays. For instance, our Easter Egg painting skills have nothing on the art of Pysanky. Ukrainian celebrations often bring together Pagan and Christian festivities in a completely unique way that has been incredibly fun to learn about.” Fairgrieve also lists clothing (like national dress) and food as important factors to identities that refugees often hold onto.

Forth Valley Welcome refers to refugees and asylum seekers as “New Scots.” This term is used by most organizations in Scotland working with refugees. Fairgrieve says that, “As an organisation, we feel it provides people a bit more dignity and a sense of belonging. We respect everyone’s identities and know that many will choose to identify with another nationality, but they can claim the title of New Scot as an added bonus if they want it.” Many refugees who do not intend to stay in Scotland permanently usually do not claim this title.

Forth Valley Welcome will continue to bring in refugees mostly from Syria, South Sudan, Sudan, Afghanistan, and Ukraine.Forth Valley Welcome takes in refugees from these countries because these refugees are deemed by the UN to be the “most vulnerable.” 

Religion is an important aspect of identity for many refugees fleeing their country. Religious persecution is also a common reason for displacement for many refugees. There have been protocols put in place that help define a refugee as well as protect them. There are many situations in the world right now that would lead to many people displaced for religious reasons. Luckily, there are many organizations, like Forth Valley Welcome, that are more than willing to help.

Rebecca Clark is the Human Rights and Religious Freedom Editor at Wandering Educators. She is currently studying a master’s degree in Human Rights and Diplomacy at the University of Stirling. This degree is taught in partnership with the United Nation Institute for Training and Research (UNITAR). During this program, she is learning how to use diplomacy to help ensure religious freedom around the world. Her career goal is to ensure that everyone is free to practice their religions and beliefs without persecution.