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

EXECUTIVE SUMMARY

The constitution and other laws provide for freedom of conscience, thought, and religion and freedom to change one’s religion or beliefs. While the law requires registration for religious groups to conduct a full range of activities, religious groups stated they could conduct most normal functions without registration. During the year, authorities again failed to register The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (Church of Jesus Christ). While there were no reports authorities discriminated in the registration process, government requirements made it nearly impossible for any new group to register.

There were no reports of significant societal actions affecting religious freedom. The U.S. Ambassador to Nauru is resident in Suva, Fiji. The Ambassador and other embassy representatives discussed religious tolerance during meetings with government officials and civil society. The embassy utilized social media to promote religious pluralism and tolerance, including highlighting comments by the President and other U.S. officials during major religious holidays.

Section I. Religious Demography The U.S. government estimates the total population at 9,811 (midyear 2023). According to the country’s 2021 population and housing report, the population is approximately 11,680. Approximately 93 percent of the population is Christian. The Nauru Congregational Church (which includes the Nauru Protestant Church) is the largest Christian group, constituting 34.3 percent of the population, followed by the Roman Catholic Church at 33.9 percent, Assemblies of God (11.7 percent), Pacific Light House (6.0 percent), the Nauru Independent Church (3.5 percent), Baptists (1.4 percent), Seventh-day Adventists (1.4 percent), and other Protestants (1.0 percent).

Approximately 1.3 percent of the population reports no religious affiliation. Ethnic Chinese residents, estimated to constitute 5 percent of the population, are Confucian, Buddhist, Taoist, Christian, or nonreligious. Several nongovernmental organizations indicate that as of year’s end, fewer than 20 refugees reside in the country. Most of those coming to the country were from Muslim-majority countries, although some were Christian.

Section II. Status of Government Respect for Religious Freedom Legal Framework The constitution provides for freedom of conscience, expression, assembly, and association and freedom to change one’s religion or beliefs. These rights may be restricted by any law that is “reasonably required” in the interests of defense or public safety, order, morality, or health. Under the law, religious groups must register with the government to operate in an official capacity, which includes proselytizing, building houses of worship, holding religious services, and officiating at marriages.

A cabinet memorandum sets out requirements for registration of new religious groups, including having at least 750 enrolled members, land, a building in the country, and leadership by a Nauruan member of the clergy who must reside in the country. The Catholic Church, Nauru Congregational Church, Assemblies of God, Nauru Independent Church, and Seventh-day Adventist Church are officially registered. Religious groups may operate private schools, and a number do so. The government allows religious groups to have a weekly religious education program during school hours in public schools but does not require schools to offer such education.

In schools where religious education is provided, students are required to attend the program led by the representative of their respective religious group. Students whose faith is not represented are required to undertake independent study during the class time devoted to religious education. The country is not a party to the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights. Government Practices Although the law requires registration for religious groups to conduct a full range of activities, local religious leaders stated the government continued to require such recognition only if a denomination’s clergy wished to officiate at marriages.

Religious groups stated they could conduct most normal functions, including services and meetings, without registration. There were no reports the government discriminated in the registration process, although the requirements make it nearly impossible for any new group to register. The government requires that each registrant must have a membership of 750 individuals and own a building and land. The head religious leader must be a Nauruan citizen and reside in the country.

Although the government again failed to register the Church of Jesus Christ during the year, Church representatives stated it had made progress towards registration and remained optimistic it could ultimately obtain some form of official recognition. Section III. Status of Societal Respect for Religious Freedom There were no reports of significant societal actions affecting religious freedom. Section IV.

U.S. Government Policy and Engagement The U.S. Ambassador to Nauru is resident in Suva, Fiji. The U.S. government does not maintain an embassy in the country. During the year, the Ambassador and other embassy representatives discussed religious tolerance during several meetings with senior government officials and civil society. The embassy promoted religious pluralism and tolerance across all official social media accounts, highlighting the Ambassador’s Lent and Eid events as well as resharing State Department posts highlighting these messages.

In addition, the embassy shared posts during major Christian, Jewish, Hindu, and Muslim celebrations, including Diwali and Ramadan, in support of religious tolerance and practices. 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 Bureau of European and Eurasian Affairs Nauru Office of International Religious Freedom Religious Freedom Reports