International Religious Freedom & Restrictions

Social hostilities involving religion, including violence and harassment against religious groups by private individuals and groups, declined in 2019, according to Pew Research Center’s 12th annual study of global restrictions on religion, which examines 198 countries and territories.

Indians see religious tolerance as a central part of who they are as a nation. Across the major religious groups, most people say it is very important to respect all religions to be “truly Indian.”

Women in 56 countries experienced social hostilities due to clothing that was deemed to violate religious or secular dress norms.

Government restrictions in 2018 were at their highest level since 2007, when Pew Research Center began tracking these trends.

In 2018, the global median level of government restrictions on religion – that is, laws, policies and actions by officials that impinge on religious beliefs and practices – continued to climb, reaching an all-time high since Pew Research Center began tracking these trends in 2007.

In addition to government actions, there also was a dramatic increase in Europe in some measures of social hostility to religion.

The Center's tenth report on religious restrictions around the world focuses on trends in restrictions from 2007 to 2017.

Over the decade from 2007 to 2017, government restrictions on religion - laws, policies and actions by state officials that restrict religious beliefs and practices - increased markedly around the world.

Pew Research Center has analyzed restrictions on religion around the world for 10 years, finding that global restrictions have risen. What is happening in some of the countries with the biggest changes?

In 2017, among the 25 most populous countries, Egypt, India, Russia, Pakistan and Indonesia had the most restrictions on religion, while Japan, South Korea, South Africa, the Philippines and Brazil had the fewest restrictions. Click play to see how restrictions have changed in each country since 2007. Read the full report.