The 2017 Open Doors World Watch List
The Open Doors World Watch List highlights the top 50 countries where Christians face the most severe persecution. Using data gathered from independent experts and - crucially - from Open Doors workers on the ground, the World Watch List tracks the degree of freedom Christians have to follow their faith. It's a unique, in-depth record of the places where faith costs the most.
We hope that this information will not only inform you about the plight of persecuted Christians around the world, but will also inspire you to pray, to give and to speak up for them.
Watch The Top 5 Countries film below. Alternatively, you can watch it in Welsh here.
"We thank you and all supporters in Christ who encourage and support our North Korean underground church believers. Your prayer and support help our North Korean underground believers to be ready for the battle at the frontier." - North Korean believer
World Watch List Country Profiles
Explore detailed, country-specific information on the 50 countries where it is most dangerous to live as a Christian. These are the places where followers of Christ must keep their beliefs hidden and where living the gospel means facing beatings, imprisonment, discrimination and abuse.
World Watch List Resources
A range of World Watch List resources to inspire prayer and action on behalf of persecuted Christians around the world. Order your free copy of the 2017 Open Doors World Watch Guide, download a copy of the Advocacy Report and find out about other World Watch List resources for churches and individuals.
Persecution Trends
What does the 2017 World Watch List reveal about the trends in global persecution? Open Doors experts look at what factors are shaping Christian persecution at the moment and how, despite the darkness, persecuted Christians are continuing to share the light and life of Jesus.
25 Years of the World Watch List
2017 represents the 25th year of the Open Doors World Watch List. This in-depth article explores some of the major trends in global persecution which have shaped the list over the past quarter century.
Four responses to persecution
When persecution strikes, how do Christians respond? For persecuted Christians around the world there are four main options: dive and survive, register and submit, flee and live, or stay and die.
The Faces behind the Figures
The World Watch List is about the big picture – the facts and figures, the global trends. But the big picture is made up of millions of individual faces. Here are six representatives of persecuted Christians from around the world who really need your prayers and support.
About the World Watch List
The Open Doors World Watch List is the only index of its kind in the world. But how is it put together? How do you measure persecution? And what's the difference between 'smash' and squeeze'?