Ann Widdecombe has been named as an envoy on religious freedom for
the Catholic charity Aid to the Church in Need, it was announced March 17th.
The
former Conservative government minister and star of the BBC’s Strictly
Come Dancing will work as Christian minorities’ champion for the
charity, which is directly under the Holy See.
In the role, Miss
Widdecombe will advise the charity on its work for persecuted and other
suffering Christians, drawing on her wide media and political
experience.
The post has a global remit and Miss Widdecombe may travel to trouble spots where Christians are persecuted.
Engaged
in regular meetings with Aid to the Church in Need staff, she will
raise awareness of the issues surrounding violence and intimidation of
religious minorities including Christians.
The announcement
coincides with the launch of the 2011 edition of ACN’s Persecuted and
Forgotten? A Report on Christians oppressed for their Faith.
The
report provides an audit of human rights abuses against Christians,
declaring that persecution against them has worsened in two-thirds of
the countries where religious freedom is denied the most.
According to reports, at least 75 percent of religious persecution is directed against Christians.
Miss Widdecombe said: “I have become increasingly alarmed by reports of violence and acts of intimidation against Christians.”
“We
in this country are rightly concerned to protect the rights of
minorities over here. We cannot therefore turn a blind eye to the plight
of minorities in other parts of the world. In many cases, those
suffering most are Christians.”
“It is time to put our heads above
the parapet and speak up in the name of Christians suffering for their
faith and I am delighted to support the work of Aid to the Church in
Need which is doing excellent work to help persecuted Christians.”
As
a Catholic charity directly under Pope Benedict XVI, Aid to the Church
in Need supports 5,000 projects every year in 140 countries, helping to
build churches, training seminarians, helping Christian refugees and
providing Child’s Bibles and other Christian education and media
programmes.