Pursuant to the International Religious Freedom Act of 1998 (IRFA), the State Department is required to issue annual designations for the most egregious violators of religious freedom. In advance of these designations, USCIRF recommends in its Annual Report each year the countries the State Department should designate as such.

The State Department issued its latest list of Countries of Particular Concern (CPC) and countries placed on its Special Watch List (SWL) on November 17, 2021—which included some USCIRF recommendations, but with notable exclusions.

USCIRF Chair Nadine Maenza joins us today to discuss the State Department’s designations, how they differ from USCIRF’s recommendations, and consider the role of these designations in promoting and protecting religious freedom around the world.

Read USCIRF’s Factsheet on State Department Designations

Read USCIRF’s press release responding to the State Department designations