SANTA ANA, Calif., July 9, 2024—Global Christian Relief, America’s leading watchdog organization focused on the plight of persecuted Christians worldwide, is working to pay the debt of 50 families, freeing them from modern-day slavery. Making up only 1.27% of the population, Christians in Pakistan face severe religious discrimination, lacking access to education, good jobs and fair wages simply because of their faith. As a result, many take out predatory loans, often only $800-$1,000, from brick kiln owners to meet basic needs.
Families are often paid between $3-$5 an hour, but the wages are garnished for interest. The families’ debt payment often leaves them with as little as $1.50 a day. Bonded labor was technically banned in 1992, but the kilns continue operating and thriving due to government oversight, corruption and the influence of the kiln owners. In many ways, this type of slavery is part of the societal norms inside Pakistan.
Pakistan is one of 17 countries designated as a “country of particular concern” in the 2024 annual report by the United States Commission on International Religious Freedom (USCIRF), due to strict blasphemy laws and systemic discrimination by the government, extremist groups and the community. Recent incidents of mob violence with a Christian man dying, the sentencing of a Christian man to death for alleged violation of Pakistan’s blasphemy laws, and more continue to escalate despite the Pakistani government’s resolutions to address mob violence and protect vulnerable communities.
“Because of the systemic religious persecution in Pakistan, Christian families are desperately entering bonded slavery to meet basic needs like food, rent and medical care,” David Curry, president and CEO of Global Christian Relief and former commissioner of USCIRF, states. “We must continue to pressure the Pakistani government to repeal and ban anti-blasphemy laws and change its systematic discrimination so Christians have greater religious protection and freedom.”
To combat the predatory loan system, Global Christian Relief is helping families overcome the hardship.
“Global Christian Relief is not only paying the debts of 50 deserving families but fostering long-term change by providing financial literacy training and income-generating businesses,” says Brian Orme, chief field operations officer, of Global Christian Relief.
While families are in bonded slavery, Global Christian Relief helps to provide schools for children, mobile medical clinics and vocational training. When a family is freed from bonded slavery, Global Christian Relief provides an income generating project families can use to build a business outside of the kilns as well as a six-week financial training course for all the families.
For interviews with David Curry, please contact Guardian at: [email protected].
About Global Christian Relief
Global Christian Relief (GCR) is America’s leading watchdog organization focused on the plight of persecuted Christians worldwide. In addition to equipping the Western church to advocate and pray for the persecuted, GCR works in the most restrictive countries to protect and encourage Christians threatened by faith-based discrimination and violence. Dr. David Curry, president of GCR, currently serves on the United States Commission on Religious Freedom. For more information, visit globalchristianrelief.org
