Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what steps she has taken to strengthen the UK's international work to protect freedom of religion or belief.

The UK is committed to championing Freedom of Religion or Belief (FoRB) for all. We recognise that every day, people around the world face persecution or discrimination on the basis of their religion or belief, including Christians. The UK's FoRB Strategy, set out by the Special Envoy last July, continues to guide our international engagement. We regularly raise FoRB concerns with governments worldwide and support locally led interfaith initiatives in regions experiencing acute religious persecution.

Through the UN, G7, and the Article 18 Alliance, the UK works with partners to highlight violations, promote reform of discriminatory laws, and advocate for individuals facing persecution. At the Alliance's fifth‑anniversary event in November, the Special Envoy called for deeper collective action and greater integration of FoRB into responses to global challenges such as conflict, development, and displacement.

We are strengthening coordination with international partners, including the United States and European counterparts, to ensure more coherent global advocacy and more responsive mechanisms to address emerging FoRB crises. We also work closely with civil society, faith leaders and human rights defenders to ensure that the experiences of those most at risk shape our policy and international advocacy.

The UK will continue to champion the right to freedom of religion or belief for everyone, everywhere.