Nepal
Overview
The government of Nepal is taking an increasingly strong stand against religious conversion. Despite the 2015 constitution that guaranteed religious freedom, Parliament passed a bill in 2017 criminalizing conversion to Christianity. In 2018, the prime minister and other government officials publicly declared that anyone found changing his or her religion would be expelled from the country and any charitable organizations engaged in preaching would be shut down. Christian communities are small, but they boldly witness for Christ despite harassment and risk.
Major Religions
84 percent of Nepalis are Hindus. Hinduism is more prominent in the south, along the Indian border, and Buddhism is more prominent in the north. There are small Muslim and Christian minorities as well as a growing Marxist (atheistic communist) movement.
Persecutor
Families, communities, Marxist groups and Hindu groups pressure Christians, who also experience some government interference. Muslims and Buddhists also persecute Christians, especially in response to evangelism and conversions in rural areas.
What it Means to Follow Christ
There is a small, visible Christian community in Nepal, but believers experience opposition from extremists among the Hindu, Muslim, Buddhist and Marxist groups. Christians face harassment and beatings from local Hindu nationalists who envision Nepal becoming a “pure” Hindu nation.
Access to Bibles
Bibles are legal, but many people cannot afford them. Distribution is difficult in Nepal’s remote, mountainous areas.
VOM Work
VOM distributes Bibles, trains pastors and provides Christian literature and tools for evangelism.