{"id":485,"date":"2026-06-15T14:47:09","date_gmt":"2026-06-15T14:47:09","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/npbelarus.ngo\/?p=485"},"modified":"2026-06-15T14:47:09","modified_gmt":"2026-06-15T14:47:09","slug":"","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/npbelarus.ngo\/en\/volha-aleinik-faith-based-organizations-the-golden-reserve-of-thebelarusian-volunteer-movement\/","title":{"rendered":"","raw":""},"content":{"rendered":"","protected":false,"raw":""},"excerpt":{"rendered":"","protected":false,"raw":""},"author":2,"featured_media":486,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_uag_custom_page_level_css":"","_be_post_content":"\n

Researcher Volha Aleinik of the Institute for Development and Social Market in Belarus and Eastern Europe speaks about faith-based organizations and their role in Belarusian civil society.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u2014 Volha, could you explain what faith-based organizations (FBOs) are and how they differ from traditional religious structures?<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Faith-based organizations can be divided into several types. There are narrowly religious ones \u2014 those whose primary purpose is worship and pastoral care. And then there are those focused on helping people: through social work, education, and public outreach. It is the latter that we work with. They offer a wide range of services to different target groups: from distributing free food and fundraising for medical treatment, to running hospices, children's homes, and rehabilitation programs for people with addictions \u2014 as well as schools, children's and youth summer camps, courses, publishing, translation, historical research.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

These organizations are not engaged in worship as such \u2014 they carry out beneficial public work rooted in faith. Ideally, churches should stand apart from politics and remain independent. FBOs can receive funding from various sources, including government sources, and engage in their statutory activities.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

It is also important to note that these organizations make up approximately one third of the non-profit sector in Belarus. They simply cannot be overlooked.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u2014 What is the current situation of faith-based organizations in Belarus?<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Belarus is a multi-denominational country, which means that around every local religious community there are at least two or three faith-adjacent organizations focused on social and educational work. If you multiply the number of religious congregations by three, you get a rough figure for the number of FBOs. Our Institute works primarily with Christian organizations.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

These organizations are an enormous resource for volunteerism. The motivation of believers is not short-term: people give their time, money, and effort on a sustained basis, without needing financial compensation.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Examples such as the Red Cross, the Scouts, and the Girl Guides \u2014 many of these began as religious movements.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u2014 How did your Institute begin working with FBOs?<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Our active engagement started in 2016\u20132017, when the law on domestic violence was being drafted. Gender-focused organizations and UNDP were actively involved in that process. Churches and FBOs were not included in the discussions. When the draft law entered the public domain, religious organizations expressed opposition, seeing in it interference in family life and a certain form of control. This was a misunderstanding. Had they been brought in earlier, there would almost certainly have been far fewer problems.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

In response, we organized a conference \u2014 \"Sustainable Development and Religious Organizations\" \u2014 to introduce NGOs, international bodies, and religious organizations to one another. A broad spectrum of specialists was represented at this forum: from prison ministry to social and educational work. We then held sectoral meetings with government bodies \u2014 to create space for dialogue, discuss new initiatives, build the capacity of FBOs, and include them in public processes. They have a deep knowledge of the needs of people with disabilities and extensive experience in social work.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u2014 How has the situation changed today?<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Today we are monitoring developments and raising issues that matter to churches and FBOs. In international forums we remind audiences that the FBO sector continues its work under difficult conditions, and we speak out about violations of rights to freedom of conscience, freedom of association, and so on.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Following the adoption of the revised Law on Freedom of Conscience and Religious Organizations (signed at the end of 2023, entering into force in July 2024, with re-registration required by July 2025), a compulsory re-registration of religious organizations took place. As a result, a number of associations and organizations ceased to exist. In 2025, many such structures closed \u2014 according to regional government data, 37 organizations of various denominations were liquidated in Grodno Oblast, Protestant communities were dissolved in Vitebsk Oblast, and dozens of parishes of various denominations were closed in Gomel and Mogilev Oblasts; some denominations disappeared entirely from certain regions (for example, Evangelical Lutherans in Gomel, and the Mormons and Bah\u00e1'\u00ed in Mogilev). The law introduces a number of artificial requirements \u2014 for example, it demands a minimum number of registered members, which does not always reflect the actual reality of a congregation. This constitutes unnecessary state interference in the work of FBOs.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Reference<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Re-registration of religious organizations was completed in 2025. The Office of the Commissioner for Religious and Nationality Affairs has not yet published consolidated national statistics, but regional data indicate a significant reduction.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Denominations that ceased to operate entirely (in specific regions):<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n