Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what steps he is taking to protect Christians in Kenya from persecution.

The promotion and protection of the right to freedom of religion or belief is a priority for the Foreign & Commonwealth Office (FCO).We regard freedom of thought, conscience or belief as a fundamental human right underpinning many other rights. Our officials in Kenya are working with civil society organisations, religious groups and the Kenyan government to promote tolerance and trust across communities. We are supporting a range of religious groups to work cooperatively to manage local tensions to ensure that the early warning signs of potential persecution are identified, and responded to, so as to mitigate the risk of violence. We are also supporting the Government of Kenya as part of its efforts to counter violent extremism, which fuels religious persecution. We have encouraged Kenya’s churches together with the National Council of Churches in Kenya, to continue to play a role in this work. We continue regular dialogue with faith leaders in Kenya, the UK and across the region to promote respect for all faiths.