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The Constitution provides for freedom of religion, and the Government generally respects this right in practice.
There was no change in the status of respect for religious freedom during the period covered by this report.
Both government policy and the generally amicable relationship among the religions in society contribute to the free practice of religion.
The U.S. Government discusses religious freedom issues with the Government in the context of its overall dialog and policy of promoting human rights.
Section I. Government Policies on Freedom of Religion
Legal/Policy Framework
The Constitution provides for freedom of religion, and the Government respects
this right in practice. The Government at all levels generally protects this
right in full, and does not tolerate abuse, either by governmental or private
actors.
Religious Demography
The dominant religion is Christianity (mostly Roman Catholic, Methodist, Anglican, and Seventh-Day Adventist) but religious freedom for others is not affected adversely. The minority religions are Islam, the Baha'i Faith, and Rastafarianism.
The Government is secular, but most government officials are Christian. The Government does not take any steps to promote interfaith understanding but also does not monitor or discriminate according to religious faith.
Governmental Abuses of Religion
There were no confirmed reports that the Government abused religious freedom; however, members of the Rastafarian community have complained that law enforcement officials unfairly target them. However, it is not clear whether such complaints reflect discrimination on the basis of religious belief by authorities or simply enforcement of laws against marijuana, which is used as part of Rastafarian religious practice.
There were no reports of religious detainees or prisoners.
There was no change in the status of respect for religious freedom during the period covered by this report.
Forced Religious Conversion of Minor U.S. Citizens
There were no reports of the forced religious conversions of minor U.S. citizens who had been abducted or illegally removed from the United States, or of the Government's refusal to allow such citizens to be returned to the United States.
Section II. Societal Attitudes
Relations between the various religious communities are generally amicable. The Dominica Christian Council and the Dominica Association of Evangelical Churches conduct activities to promote greater mutual understanding and tolerance among adherents of different denominations within the Christian faith.
Section III. U.S. Government Policy
The U.S. Embassy discusses religious freedom issues with the Government in the overall context of the promotion of human rights. Embassy representatives have discussed issues or events surrounding religious freedom with government officials when soliciting support for international organization resolutions concerning religious freedom.
Source: U.S. State Department
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