The World Evangelical Alliance (WEA) has submitted a report to the United Nations (UN) in Geneva, warning of potential violations of religious freedom by the government in Rwanda.
The report, which was part of the UN’s Universal Periodic Review (UPR) process, highlighted a 2018 Rwandan law to regulate faith-based organizations. According to the report, the law resulted in the closure of thousands of churches and houses of worship in 2024.
The 2018 law, known as Determining the Organisation and Functioning of Faith-based Organisations, gives oversight over faith-based organizations (FBOs) to the Rwanda Governance Board (RGB). It also requires religious groups to register with the government before holding services. According to the WEA report, this requirement is “not in compliance with international human rights standards” that Rwanda has consented to through various international agreements.
The registration requirement includes several burdensome barriers to entry, according to the report, including academic degree requirements for legal representatives of religious groups. These educational requirements are not in place for other non-governmental organizations (NGOs). The WEA report noted, “There is thus a much higher standard for FBOs than for NGOs, such that FBOs are at a disadvantage and face discrimination in registration.”
RGB requirements also include building-code inspections, which the WEA report states are periodically updated. Churches, according to the report, are not given flexibility to adapt to new code requirements.
In 2024, the RGB inspected over 13,000 houses of worship, closing over 8,000 of them due to noncompliance with registration requirements.
The WEA report recommends that the Rwandan government review the 2018 law and subsequent amendments, uphold neutrality in the implementation of regulations for FBOs and NGOs, and establish more flexible compliance processes for meeting registration requirements.
In addition to its report on Rwanda, the WEA also submitted reports to the UN on Australia, Austria and the Republic of Georgia.
The World Evangelical Alliance is the world’s largest interdenominational evangelical organization, advocating for religious freedom and working to combat poverty worldwide.
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