Ep. 49 / Inside the UN and the Fight for Religious Freedom ► Janet E. Buckingham

A quiet statistic hides a loud truth: one in seven Christians lives with the risk of arrest, mob violence, or bureaucratic erasure simply for practicing their faith. In this episode we sit down with Dr. Janet Epp Buckingham—lawyer, professor, and head of the World Evangelical Alliance’s Geneva advocacy team—to unpack how smart, steady diplomacy at the UN can create real space for believers to worship, witness, and even bury their dead without fear. 

Janet traces her path from Canadian public policy work to leading a team that turns testimony into action. She explains how special consultative status opens doors to convene side events, deliver hard-hitting 90-second statements, and file reports that influence asylum cases and government responses. We dig into the mechanics: building trust with diplomats, coordinating with national alliances across 140 countries, and timing “good cop, bad cop” strategies so international pressure empowers local engagement rather than eclipsing it.

The conversation explores rising trends—registration traps that criminalize house churches, apostasy laws that penalize conversion, and AI-fueled surveillance that tightens control. Case studies bring the stakes into focus: a pastor from Turkey facing restrictions, Nigerian Christians displaced by violence, and India’s disturbing pattern of mobs blocking Christian funerals. Through it all, Janet shows how precise language, credible evidence, and persistent presence can turn compassion into policy change and small wins into lasting protections.

If you care about religious freedom, this episode offers both clarity and a roadmap: what works at the UN, how advocacy reaches the local church, and where listeners can step in—through informed prayer, careful sharing, and support for trusted relief and legal efforts. 

You can learn more about the World Evangelical Alliance at the UN and Dr. Buckingham's work through the WEA website and Facebook. 

And please don't forget to share this episode and join the conversation on YouTube! 

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