Saint Kitts and Nevis

Saint Kitts and Nevis, also known as The Federation of Saint Christopher and Nevis, is a two-island nation in the Caribbean which maintains a multi-party parliamentary democracy political system under a constitutional monarchy.

According to the most recently available census (2011), 83% of the 47,000 population identified as Christian, the largest proportion of which were Anglican followed by Methodist. The second largest belief group, the non-religious, accounted for 9% of the population. Other religious groups included small communities of Muslims, Hindus, Rastafarians, and Bahais.[ref]https://www.stats.gov.kn/topics/demographic-social-statistics/population/population-by-religious-belief-2011/[/ref]

Constitution and government Education and children’s rights Family, community, society, religious courts and tribunals Freedom of expression advocacy of humanist values
There is state funding of at least some religious schools
Official symbolic deference to religion
Some concerns about political or media freedoms, not specific to the non-religious
No religious tribunals of concern, secular groups operate freely, individuals are not persecuted by the state
Constitution and government
Official symbolic deference to religion
Education and children’s rights
There is state funding of at least some religious schools
Family, community, society, religious courts and tribunals
No religious tribunals of concern, secular groups operate freely, individuals are not persecuted by the state
Freedom of expression advocacy of humanist values
Some concerns about political or media freedoms, not specific to the non-religious
Use of Conscientious Objection clauses resulting in the denial of lawful services to women and LGBTI+ people
Religious or ideological instruction is mandatory in all or most state-funded schools with no secular or humanist alternative
Insufficient information or detail not included in this report
Insufficient information or detail not included in this report

Countries: Kazakhstan

The state is secular, with separation of religious and political authorities, not discriminating against any religion or belief
Insufficient information or detail not included in this report
No fundamental restrictions on freedom of expression or advocacy of humanist values
Insufficient information or detail not included in this report

Countries: no countries relate to this boundary condition

No condition holds in this strand
No condition holds in this strand

Countries: Andorra

No condition holds in this strand
Religious courts or tribunals rule directly on some family or ‘moral’ matters; it is legally an opt-in system, but the possibility of social coercion is very clear
No condition holds in this strand

Countries: no countries relate to this boundary condition

Localised or infrequent but recurring and widespread social marginalisation or prejudice against the non-religious

This condition is unusual in that it is applied in cases where there is some social discrimination, but it is not pervasive or nationwide. This condition is applied when there is sufficient background evidence to warrant the assertion that discrimination is not anomalous but widespread, and this condition may be applied for example even where if there is no legislative discrimination or where the non-religious may have legal recourse against such discrimination. However, societal discrimination (i.e. discrimination by peers, as opposed to state or legal discrimination) is not easily measured, and for this reason the Report does not currently have similar more severe boundary conditions to capture higher levels of social discrimination per se. In principle these may be introduced in future. However, we consider that countries with actual higher levels of social discrimination against the non-religious will generally already meet other higher level (more severe) boundary conditions under this thematic strand.

Countries: Botswana, Greece, Serbia, United States of America

The dominant influence of religion in public life undermines the right to equality and/or non-discrimination

Applied when the influence of religion on public life undermines others’ rights, such as SRHR, women’s rights, LGBTI+ rights.

May be applied when the influence is overt (i.e. when religious laws are applied to undermine others’ rights) or covert (i.e. where religious pressure groups exert influence to affect policy)

Countries: Andorra, Antigua and Barbuda, Armenia, Bahamas, Belize, Bolivia, Brunei Darussalam, Congo, Democratic Republic of, Croatia, Cuba, Dominica, Dominican Republic, El Salvador, Eswatini, Fiji, Gambia, Ghana, Guatemala, Guinea, Hungary, Iran, Italy, Jamaica, Jordan, Liberia, Lithuania, Mexico, Moldova, Montenegro, Mozambique, Nicaragua, North Macedonia, Oman, Paraguay, Qatar, Romania, Russia, Saint Lucia, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, Saudi Arabia, Senegal, Slovakia, Solomon Islands, Sri Lanka, Suriname, Timor-Leste (East Timor), Trinidad and Tobago, Ukraine, Zambia

The non-religious are persecuted socially or there are prohibitive social taboos against atheism, humanism or secularism
Complete tyranny precludes all freedoms of expression and thought, religion or belief

Applied when overriding acts of oppression by the State are extreme, to the extent that the question of freedom of thought and expression is almost redundant, because all human rights and freedoms are quashed by authorities.

Countries: North Korea

Expression of core Humanist principles on democracy, freedom and human rights is brutally repressed
Expression of non-religious views is severely persecuted, or is rendered almost impossible by severe social stigma, or is highly likely to be met with hatred or violence
There is significant social marginalisation of the non-religious or stigma associated with expressing atheism, humanism or secularism
Religious or ideological indoctrination is utterly pervasive in schools
There is a nominal state church with few privileges or progress is being made toward disestablishment

Countries: Bulgaria, Norway, Peru, Rwanda

The non-religious are barred from some government offices (including posts reserved for particular religions or sects)
‘Apostasy’ is outlawed and punishable with a prison sentence

Countries: Bahrain, Comoros, Jordan, Kuwait

‘Apostasy’ or conversion from a specific religion is outlawed and punishable by death
Some religious courts rule in civil or family matters on a coercive or discriminatory basis
Religious authorities have supreme authority over the state

Countries: Iran

State legislation is partly derived from religious law or by religious authorities
Preferential treatment is given to a religion or religion in general

This condition is applied where there are miscellaneous indicators that organs of the state offer various forms of support for a religion, or to religion in general over non-religious worldviews, suggesting a preference for those beliefs, or that the organs of that religion are privileged.

Countries: Albania, Algeria, Andorra, Antigua and Barbuda, Argentina, Australia, Austria, Bahamas, Belize, Bhutan, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Brazil, Burundi, Canada, Cape Verde, Chile, Colombia, Croatia, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Denmark, Dominican Republic, Equatorial Guinea, Eritrea, Ethiopia, Finland, Germany, Ghana, Guatemala, Guyana, Haiti, Iceland, India, Indonesia, Ireland, Israel, Italy, Jamaica, Japan, Kuwait, Kyrgyzstan, Liberia, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Madagascar, Malawi, Malaysia, Mali, Malta, Mauritania, Mauritius, Montenegro, Mozambique, Nepal, New Zealand, Nigeria, North Macedonia, Oman, Panama, Paraguay, Peru, Philippines, Poland, Qatar, Romania, Rwanda, San Marino, Serbia, Seychelles, Sierra Leone, Singapore, Slovakia, Solomon Islands, Sri Lanka, Tajikistan, Tanzania, Timor-Leste (East Timor), Tunisia, Turkey, Tuvalu, United Kingdom, Vanuatu, Venezuela, Zimbabwe

There is a pattern of impunity or collusion in violence by non-state actors against the nonreligious
State-funded schools provide religious education which may be nominally comprehensive but is substantively biased or borderline confessional
Religious or ideological instruction in a significant number of schools is of a coercive fundamentalist or extremist variety

This condition highlights countries where schools subject children to fundamentalist religious instruction with no real opportunity to question fundamentalist tenets, or where lessons routinely encourage hatred (for example religious or ethnic hatred). The wording “significant number of schools” is not given a rigid quantification (sometimes the worst-offending schools are unregistered, illegal, or otherwise uncounted); however the condition is not applied in cases where only a small number of schools meet the description and may be anomalous, as opposed to being indicative of a widespread problem.

Countries: Bangladesh, Pakistan, Saudi Arabia

State legislation is largely or entirely derived from religious law or by religious authorities
Anomalous discrimination by local or provincial authorities, or overseas territories
Religious or ideological instruction is mandatory in at least some public schools (without secular or humanist alternatives)
‘Blasphemy’ or criticism of religion is outlawed and punishable by death
Government figures or state agencies openly marginalize, harass, or incite hatred or violence against the non-religious
Government authorities push a socially conservative, religiously or ideologically inspired agenda, without regard to the rights of those with progressive views
It is illegal to advocate secularism or church-state separation, or such advocacy is suppressed
Prohibitive interreligious social control (including interreligious marriage bans)
Quasi-divine veneration of a ruling elite is enforced, or a single-party regime holds uncontested power, subject to severe punishment
Legal or constitutional provisions exclude non-religious views from freedom of belief
It is illegal to register an explicitly Humanist, atheist, secularist or other non-religious NGO or other human rights organization, or such groups are persecuted by authorities
There is a religious tax or tithing which is compulsory, or which is state-administered and discriminates by precluding non-religious groups
The non-religious are barred from holding government office
Some concerns about children's right to specifically religious freedom

This condition may apply if specifically religious education, religious materials, or specific religious denominations are so tightly controlled that children are in fact over-protected from exposure to religion and are likely unable to explore or construct their own worldview in accordance with their evolving capacities. This condition helps us to classify states (perhaps with secular constitutions) which have criminalized specifically religious beliefs or practices. This condition is not applied if the restricted beliefs or practices are found to be outlawed due to their being of an extremist variety. While this condition does not directly reflect discrimination against non-religious persons or non-religious ideas, it does represent an overall threat to freedom of thought, conscience, religion or belief; such restrictions could spill over to affect non-religious beliefs later; and they pose a risk of backlash against over-zealous secular authorities or even against non-religious individuals by association.

Countries: China, Congo, Democratic Republic of, Cuba, Equatorial Guinea, Ethiopia, Guinea, Guyana, Italy, Kazakhstan, Laos, Madagascar, Mexico, North Macedonia, Romania, Serbia, Tajikistan, Togo, Turkmenistan, Uzbekistan, Zimbabwe

It is illegal or unrecognised to identify as an atheist or as non-religious
It is made difficult to register or operate an explicitly Humanist, atheist, secularist or other non-religious NGO or other human rights organization
Legend
 
Systemic Discrimination
Mostly Satisfactory
Free and Equal
More information about rating table

Constitution and government

Article 11 of the Constitution[ref]https://www.gov.kn/wp-content/uploads/2020/07/constitution-of-st-kitts-and-nevis.pdf[/ref] protects the rights to freedom of conscience, including the right to freedom of thought and of religion, expression and assembly. While the Constitution does not name any religion as a state religion, the preamble contains an invocation stating that, “the nation is established on the belief in Almighty God.”

Ministers of religion are barred from elected office according to Article 28 of the Constitution. However, it would appear that government officials maintain a close relationship with religious groups.

The Government of St Kitts and Nevis, through its Ministry of Ecclesiastical and Faith-Based Affairs, hosts a national day of prayer annually. In 2023, this included a requirement for prayer in all schools as well as pre-recorded prayer by different pastors every hour on all Radio Stations and NTV8.[ref]https://associatestimes.com/st-kitts-and-nevis-hosts-national-day-of-prayer-on-feb-28/#:~:text=St%20Kitts%20and%20Nevis%3A%20The,Tuesday%2C%20February%2028%2C%202023; https://sknnews.com/saint-kitts-nevis/dpm-geoffrey-hanley-announces-national-day-of-prayer-for-faith-communities-265212156/[/ref]

In December 2022, government officials attended a special service of praise and thanksgiving after the nation was spared from the worst of the hurricane season. The Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Ecclesiastical and Faith-Based Affairs reportedly remarked that the annual service is “one of paramount importance when we come together before our God on a national level to show our gratitude and appreciation for His faithfulness.” He added that:

“As the 2022 Atlantic Hurricane Season officially ends it is important to ensure that we fail not as a people to give the Almighty thanks and praise for his mercies and protection over this beautiful Federation of St. Kitts and Nevis. He has spared us yet another year from the ravages of hurricanes and other natural disasters and has brought us safely to the close of this year’s hurricane season and for this, we are truly grateful.”[ref]https://www.nevispages.com/st-kitts-and-nevis-gives-thanks-and-praise-to-the-almighty-for-an-uneventful-2022-hurricane-season/[/ref]

The Ministry of Ecclesiastical Affairs announced a desire for closer cooperation with religious groups in 2023.[ref]https://www.sknis.gov.kn/2022/12/19/government-to-partner-with-churches-and-other-faith-based-organizations-to-help-reach-societys-vulnerable-and-disadvantaged/[/ref]

Education and children’s rights

The Constitution protects citizens from receiving instruction in or being forced to participate in religious observance contrary to their own beliefs. The Education Act (2005)[ref]https://aglcskn.info/documents/Act02and09TOC/Ch%2013.01%20Education%20Act.pdf[/ref] establishes that religious education in public schools “shall not include any catechism or formulary which is distinctive of any particular religious denomination” (Article 149), however, it is of a Christian persuasion.[ref]https://www.state.gov/reports/2021-report-on-international-religious-freedom/saint-kitts-and-nevis/[/ref]

Article 19 of the Education Act makes it clear that, “A student may express any religious, political, moral, or other belief or opinion so long as the expression does not adversely affect the rights or education of other students, or the rights of other persons in the school.”

The Education Act (2005) establishes a category of educational establishment known as “assisted schools.” An assisted private school can be an educational institution owned and managed by an individual, legal person, denominational bodies, or trusts that receive state assistance in the form of financial assistance or non-financial aid. Assisted schools are required to follow the national curriculum in all subjects, but religious education. However, any students who are adherents of other belief systems are able to opt-out of such classes.

Students of public and assisted schools are required to attend a morning assembly every day, which may not be distinctive of any particular religious denomination. Daily morning prayers are also held. Students who do not want to attend are exempt from all religious activities.[ref]https://www.state.gov/reports/2021-report-on-international-religious-freedom/saint-kitts-and-nevis/[/ref]

Private schools run by religious groups are not required to follow the national curriculum, but may receive government subsidies.

According to the Education Act, a representative nominated by a religious organization should sit on the Education Advisory Board tasked with advising the Minister of Education on matters of education. It is unclear whether a non-religious organization would be permitted to make a nomination in this category.

The government runs a National School Chaplaincy Programme that operates across all state and private schools. Chaplains ”support for students, teachers, and parents, in personal, moral, emotional, and spiritual development matters.”[ref]https://www.thestkittsnevisobserver.com/national-school-chaplaincy-programme-to-be-strengthened/; https://www.state.gov/reports/2021-report-on-international-religious-freedom/saint-kitts-and-nevis/[/ref] It is unclear whether chaplains may also be non-religious.

Family, community and society

We have found no reports of direct discrimination against non-religious individuals.

LGBTI+ rights

In August 2022, the High Court of Justice of the Eastern Caribbean Supreme Court struck down sections 56 and 57 of the colonial-era Offenses Against the Person Act that punished adult consensual same-sex activity.[ref]https://www.oas.org/en/iachr/jsForm/?File=/en/iachr/media_center/preleases/2022/198.asp[/ref]

Freedom of expression, advocacy of humanist values

In 2022, Freedom House rated Saint Kitts and Nevis as “Free.” However it also noted that:

“the state owns the sole local television station, and the opposition faces some restrictions on access to it. Defamation is a criminal offense that can potentially carry a prison sentence. Some journalists reportedly self-censor in order to avoid pressure from government officials. Radio news coverage is relatively vibrant and pluralistic.”[ref]https://freedomhouse.org/country/st-kitts-and-nevis/freedom-world/2022[/ref]