U.S. Department of State Annual Report on International Religious Freedom for 2000 - Barbados
Publisher | United States Department of State |
Publication Date | 5 September 2000 |
Cite as | United States Department of State, U.S. Department of State Annual Report on International Religious Freedom for 2000 - Barbados , 5 September 2000, available at: https://www.refworld.org/docid/3ae6a8918.html [accessed 31 May 2023] |
Comments | This report is submitted to the Congress by the Department of State in compliance with Section 102(b) of the International Religious Freedom Act (IRFA) of 1998. The 2000 Report covers the period from July 1, 1999 to June 30, 2000 |
Disclaimer | This is not a UNHCR publication. UNHCR is not responsible for, nor does it necessarily endorse, its content. Any views expressed are solely those of the author or publisher and do not necessarily reflect those of UNHCR, the United Nations or its Member States. |
The Constitution provides for freedom of religion and the Government respects this right in practice.
There was no change in the status of respect for religious freedom during the period covered by this report.
Both government policy and the generally amicable relationship among the religions in society contribute to the free practice of religion.
The U.S. Government discusses religious freedom issues with the Government in the context of its overall dialog and policy of promoting human rights.
Section I. Government Policies on Freedom of Religion
Legal/Policy Framework
The Constitution provides for freedom of religion, and the Government respects this right in practice. The Government at all levels generally protects this right in full, and does not tolerate abuse, either by governmental or private actors.
Religious Demography
The dominant religion is Christianity (mostly Anglican, Methodist, evangelical, and Roman Catholic) but it does not adversely affect religious freedom for others. The minority religions are Islam, the Baha'i Faith, and Rastafarianism (Nyabinghi school).
The Government is secular, but most government officials are Christian. The Government does not take any steps to promote interfaith understanding but also does not monitor or discriminate according to religious faith.
There was no change in the status of respect for religious freedom during the period covered by this report.
There were no reports of religious detainees or prisoners.
Forced Religious Conversion of Minor U.S. Citizens
There were no reports of the forced religious conversion of minor U.S. citizens who had been abducted or illegally removed from the United States, or of the Government's refusal to allow such citizens to be returned to the United States.
Section II. Societal Attitudes
Relations between the various religious communities are generally amicable. The Barbados Christian Council and the Caribbean Conference of Churches conduct activities to promote greater mutual understanding and tolerance among adherents of different denominations within the Christian faith.
Section III. U.S. Government Policy
The U.S. Embassy discusses religious freedom issues with the Government in the overall context of the promotion of human rights. Embassy representatives have discussed issues or events relating to religious freedom with government officials when soliciting support for international organization resolutions concerning religious freedom.