Restrictions on religion rose in most regions in 2023 but declined in sub-Saharan Africa

Government restrictions on religion and social hostilities involving religion rose across most of the world in 2023, but sub-Saharan Africa bucked the trend, recording a decline in both measures, according to a new Pew Research Center study [1]. The analysis, which covers 198 countries and territories, found that median scores on the Government Restrictions Index (GRI) in Europe, the Asia-Pacific region, and the Middle East-North Africa region reached or exceeded their highest levels since the study began in 2007 [1]. The Middle East and North Africa again posted the highest median GRI score of any region, at 6.2 out of 10, tying previous peaks recorded in 2012 and 2018 [1]. All 20 countries in that region had at least one reported case of government harassment of religious groups in 2023 [1]. Half of the region's countries also enforced restrictions related to religious dress, up from eight in 2022 [1]. In Jordan, Jewish travelers reported being blocked at border crossings for wearing attire that identified their faith; authorities told them it was not safe to "display characteristics that identified them as Jewish" such as a kippah [1]. Jordan, a semi-arid kingdom of 11.5 million people, is overwhelmingly Sunni Muslim, with a small Arab Christian minority [9]. Morocco maintained a ban on the import, production, and sale of burqas, which the government said was necessary for security so officials could identify wearers [1]. The Maghreb region, which includes Morocco, has been shaped by centuries of Arab migrations and Islamic caliphates since the 7th century [4].