Bring hope to forgotten conflicts
10 June 2026
We welcome the statement by UN experts warning of rights violations against women and girls from Christian and other religious minority communities in Nigeria.
Since 2009, we have documented the experiences of people affected by violence and persecution in northern states and the Middle Belt, while raising concerns with policymakers in the UK and beyond.
Throughout that time, those most affected have consistently told us that religious identity is one of the factors shaping who is targeted and why.
This reality has often been overlooked or downplayed in policy discussions. Yet any serious effort to understand the crisis must begin by listening to those living through it.
Disregard of local insights contributes to a sense of injustice among neglected communities. It reinforces a dangerous disconnect between policy narratives and the local people’s lived reality.
A significant breakthrough came in May 2019 when the British Government acknowledged for the first time that “religion is a factor” in inter-communal violence and that “the situation of Christians in Nigeria is dire”.
That conclusion followed a decade of evidence, testimony and sustained engagement by affected communities, parliamentarians and advocacy organisations. It marked an important step towards a more accurate understanding of the challenges facing vulnerable communities.
The UN experts’ statement builds on that progress. Most importantly, it reflects concerns that survivors and local organisations have been raising for many years.
Such recognition matters because it shapes policy responses. If the religious dimension of violence is overlooked, efforts to address insecurity and protect vulnerable communities will be less effective.
Women and girls from religious minority communities continue to face abduction, displacement, exclusion and insecurity. We therefore join the UN in urging governments to listen carefully to affected communities, ensure that their experiences inform policy, and take practical steps to protect their rights, dignity and security.