Record number of persecuted Christians worldwide: Sub-Saharan Africa at the center of international concern

Persecution against Christians continues to escalate globally, reaching record levels according to the latest report from the organization Open Doors. According to the 2026 World Watch List, approximately 388 million Christians suffer high levels of discrimination or violence based on their religion, an increase of eight million compared to the previous year.

The report highlights that the situation is particularly dire in sub-Saharan Africa, where weak institutions and the presence of armed groups have intensified attacks against Christian communities. In the most recent period analyzed alone, 4,849 Christians were killed worldwide, an average of thirteen deaths per day. Nigeria remains the epicenter of this violence, accounting for approximately 70% of the documented killings.

In addition to homicides, the report includes other alarming indicators. Thousands of Christians have been detained, kidnapped, or abused, while the number of women and children affected continues to rise. According to available data, more than 200 million persecuted Christians are women or girls, and around 110 million are under the age of 15.

The list of countries where persecution reaches extreme levels includes North Korea, Somalia, Yemen, Libya, Afghanistan, Nigeria, Pakistan, and Iran, among others. In many of these places, Christians face legal restrictions, violence from extremist groups, or social pressure that limits their religious freedom.

Religious freedom organizations warn that the phenomenon involves not only physical attacks but also structural discrimination, such as bans on building churches, job losses, and constant surveillance. Given this situation, experts and religious leaders have called for greater international attention and policies that guarantee the protection of freedom of worship as a fundamental right.