U.S. Dep't of State, 2023 Report on International Religious Freedom: Barbados

EXECUTIVE SUMMARY

The constitution and other laws provide for freedom of religion, including the freedom to change one’s religion, and prohibit discrimination based on religious belief. By law, the government does not require religious groups to register and grants religious groups the right to establish and maintain private schools and provide religious instruction. Public schools provide accommodation for prayer. In May, a judge of the High Court postponed until June 2024 a hearing on a longstanding legal challenge seeking to amend the 2019 Sacramental Cannabis Act to officially recognize the homes of Rastafarians as places of worship for their spiritual use of cannabis.

Reportedly, the judge postponed the hearing because the Office of the Attorney General had not abided by court orders to submit all required documents on time. In June, some members of the Rastafarian community said they were increasingly accepted in society, and overall, there was more tolerance for their way of life, citing the fact that new dress codes in public schools permitted dreadlocks. A Rastafarian elder, however, said public school authorities required parents of Rastafarian children wearing head coverings in school to provide letters from a Rastafarian elder stating they are Rastafarian. Members of the Rastafarian community continued to express concern they were not represented in the 10-member Constitutional Reform Commission (CRC), appointed by the President to oversee the development and enactment of a new constitution.

Representatives of the Muslim Association of Barbados said their relationships with other religious groups were excellent. The Anglican Church continued to provide space for a shelter for victims of abuse, regardless of religious affiliation or belief. The Salvation Army provided food and shelter to the homeless and vulnerable in addition to counseling services. During the year, U.S. embassy officials engaged government officials, including from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, on respect for religious diversity and tolerance and discussed opportunities to jointly promote these values.

In September, embassy representatives met with members of the Muslim and Rastafarian communities. Section I. Religious Demography The U.S. government estimates the total population at 303,430 (midyear 2023). According to the most recent census in 2010, approximately 76 percent of the population is Christian, including Anglicans (23.9 percent of the total population), Pentecostals (19.5 percent), Seventh-day Adventists (5.9 percent), Methodists (4.2 percent), Roman Catholics (3.8 percent), Wesleyans (3.4 percent), Church of the Nazarene (3.2 percent), and the Church of God (2.4 percent). Religious groups with 2 percent or less of the population each include Baptists, Moravians, The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, and Jehovah’s Witnesses.

Other religious groups, together constituting less than 3 percent of the population, include Muslims, Jews, Rastafarians, Hindus, Buddhists, and Baha’is. Approximately 21 percent of respondents do not identify a religious affiliation. According to the leader of the Jewish community, many Jews are part-time residents or periodic visitors to the country. Section II.

Status of Government Respect for Religious Freedom Legal Framework The country became a republic in 2021. The constitution provides for freedom of religion, including the freedom of individuals to change their religion, and the prohibition of discrimination based on creed. A law criminalizing “blasphemous libel” is not enforced. The government requires religious groups to register only to obtain duty-free import privileges and tax benefits.

A religious group must file the relevant customs and tax forms with the Corporate Affairs and Intellectual Property Office, a resolution passed by a majority of its board of trustees expressly authorizing the application, and the group’s related statutory declaration (a legally binding document affirming that something is true to the best knowledge of the applicant and signed in the presence of a solicitor, commissioner for oaths, or notary public. The constitution grants religious groups the right to establish and maintain private schools and provide religious instruction. The government provides subsidies or financial assistance to some of these schools to help cover the cost of students who could not find a place in a public school. The public school curriculum includes religious “values education” as part of the historic association of schools with Christian missionaries, who founded many of the schools.

At the primary school level (four – 11 years old), the focus of religious instruction is nondenominational Christianity. At the secondary school level (11 to 18 years old), all major religions are included. The constitution protects students from mandatory religious instruction, ceremony, or observance without personal consent or, if younger than 21, consent of parents or guardians. Homeschooled children must be registered with the Ministry of Education.

A new dress code implemented during the year allows children to wear dreadlocks in public schools, but Rastafarian children wishing to wear head coverings in these schools must provide letters from a Rastafarian elder confirming they are Rastafarian. There are no restrictions on prayer in schools, and accommodation for prayers is provided. The country is a party to the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights. Government Practices According to a Rastafarian leader, in May, a judge of the High Court postponed until June 2024 a hearing on a longstanding legal challenge seeking to amend the 2019 Sacramental Cannabis Act to officially recognize the homes of Rastafarians as places of worship for their spiritual use of cannabis.

He said the judge postponed the hearing because the Office of the Attorney General had not abided by court orders to submit all required documents on time. According to a Rastafarian leader, while the government had hired Rastafarians to teach individuals about the cultivation of cannabis to develop the country’s fledgling medicinal cannabis industry, it was still illegal to plant and cultivate cannabis for religious use. He also said the fact that the use of cannabis was still deemed unlawful led to societal marginalization of Rastafarians. In September, the government lifted COVID-19 restrictions, allowing attendance at in-person religious services.

After the elimination of pandemic restrictions, many religious organizations continued to follow a hybrid model combining in-person and virtual attendance to services. In June, some members of the Rastafarian community said that they were increasingly accepted in society, and overall, there was more tolerance for their way of life, citing the Ministry of Education’s new national policy on grooming, which now permitted dreadlocks. A Rastafarian elder, however, said public school authorities required parents of Rastafarian children wearing head coverings in school to provide letters from a Rastafarian elder stating they are Rastafarian; without such a letter, the children would not be allowed to wear a head covering. The Rastafarian leader reported writing over 50 letters during the year in support of Rastafarian children.

According to representatives of the Muslim Association of Barbados, their organization maintained a positive relationship with the government, and their community was an integral part of the general community. They said Muslims may practice their faith without any hinderances and incarcerated Muslims were able to practice their faith in prison. According to the Muslim Association, it was advocating the government to create a multifaith prayer room in Grantley Adams International Airport. Members of the Rastafarian community continued to express concern they were not represented in the 10-member CRC, appointed by the President to oversee the development and enactment of a new constitution.

Section III. Status of Societal Respect for Religious Freedom Representatives of the Muslim Association of Barbados reiterated that their relationships with other religious groups were excellent. According to a Muslim community leader, there was one Muslim school in the country. Open to all faiths and funded by the Muslim community, the school had a student population of 200.

He said most Muslim children attended either private or government schools. The Anglican Church continued to provide space for a shelter for victims of abuse, regardless of religious affiliation or belief. The Salvation Army provided food and shelter to the homeless and vulnerable regardless of religious belief in addition to counseling services. Section IV.

U.S. Government Policy and Engagement Embassy officials met with representatives from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs to discuss respect for religious diversity and tolerance and how to further advance these values. Embassy officials also met throughout the year with representatives of the Rastafarian, Islamic, Christian, and Jewish communities to discuss religious freedom. In September, embassy officials met with members of the Muslim Association of Barbados to emphasize the U.S. government’s commitment to promoting religious freedom for all, including minority religious groups. Embassy officials also met that month with representatives of the Muslim community, elders of the Rastafarian community, and with Salvation Army leaders.

During the year, the embassy maintained social media engagement on religious freedom issues. It commemorated International Holocaust Remembrance Day and recognized the celebration of religious holidays throughout the year, including Easter and Ramadan. On This Page search > < EXECUTIVE SUMMARY Section I. Religious Demography Section II. Status of Government Respect for Religious Freedom Legal Framework Government Practices Section III.

Status of Societal Respect for Religious Freedom Section IV. U.S. Government Policy and Engagement Tags Barbados Bureau of Western Hemisphere Affairs Office of International Religious Freedom Religious Freedom Reports