U.S. Department of State Annual Report on International Religious Freedom for 2001 - Dominica
| Publisher | United States Department of State |
| Publication Date | 26 October 2001 |
| Cite as | United States Department of State, U.S. Department of State Annual Report on International Religious Freedom for 2001 - Dominica, 26 October 2001, available at: https://www.refworld.org/docid/3bdbdd9436.html [accessed 6 June 2023] |
| Comments | The International Religious Freedom Report for 2001 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 law provides that the Secretary of State shall transmit to Congress by September 1 of each year, or the first day thereafter on which the appropriate House of Congress is in session, "an Annual Report on International Religious Freedom supplementing the most recent Human Rights Reports by providing additional detailed information with respect to matters involving international religious freedom." The 2001 Report covers the period from July 1, 2000 to June 30, 2001. |
| 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 generally respects this right in practice.
There was no change in the status of respect for religious freedom during the period covered by this report, and government policy continued to contribute to the generally free practice of religion.
The generally amicable relationship among the religions in society contributed to religious freedom.
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. Religious Demography
Dominica, a mountainous island of 289 square miles, has a population of approximately 72,000. The dominant religion is Christianity, and some 77 percent of the island's residents are Roman Catholic. There are Anglican, Methodist, Seventh-Day Adventist, and Jehovah's Witnesses communities. The minority religions are Islam, the Baha'i Faith, and Rastafarianism.
Section II. Status of Religious Freedom
Legal/Policy Framework
The Constitution provides for freedom of religion, and the Government generally respects this right in practice. The Government at all levels generally protects this right in full, and does not tolerate its abuse, either by governmental or private actors.
The Government is secular, but most government officials are Christian. The Government does not restrict an individual's right to worship. The Government does not take any steps to promote interfaith understanding but also does not monitor or discriminate according to religious faith. Christian holy days such as Good Friday, Easter, Whit Monday, and Christmas are national holidays.
Restrictions on Religious Freedom
Government policy and practice contributed to the generally unrestricted practice of religion. Members of the Rastafarian community have complained that law enforcement officials unfairly target them. However, it is not clear whether such complaints reflect discrimination on the basis of religious belief by authorities or simply enforcement of laws against marijuana, which is used as part of Rastafarian religious practice.
There were no reports of religious prisoners or detainees.
Forced Religious Conversion
There were no reports of forced religious conversion, including 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 III. Societal Attitudes
Relations between the various religious communities are generally amicable. The Dominica Christian Council and the Dominica Association of Evangelical Churches conduct activities to promote greater mutual understanding and tolerance among adherents of different denominations within the Christian faith.
Section IV. U.S. Government Policy
The U.S. Embassy discusses religious freedom issues with the Government, local groups and other organizations in the context of its overall dialog and policy of promoting human rights.
