The constitution of Solomon Islands establishes the freedom of religion, and this freedom is respected in practice by both the government and general society.
An estimated 5 percent of the population, consisting primarily of the Kwaio community on the island of Malaita, practice indigenous animistic religions.[3]
Christianity was brought to the country in the 19th and early 20th centuries by missionaries representing several Western denominations.[4] Some foreign missionaries continue to work in the country. In the early 2000s, the clergy of the established churches was nearly entirely indigenous, except for the Roman Catholic Church, whose clergy is approximately 45 percent foreign.[4]
Religious freedom
The constitution of Solomon Islands establishes the freedom of religion, although it also allows for this freedom to be curtailed when "reasonably required" by other laws.[3]
All religious organizations are required to register with the government.[3]
The public school curriculum includes an hour of optional weekly religious education, with the content determined by the Solomon Islands Christian Association. Non-Christian religious instruction is available by request. The government subsidizes schools and health centers operated by religious organizations, in addition to providing small grants to religious organizations.[3]
In 2023, the country was scored 4 out of 4 by Freedom House for religious freedom.[5]
