; (2) assisting emerging democracies to implement freedom of religion and to protect individual conscience; (3) assisting nongovernment organizations to promote religious freedom and to sponsor reconciliation and other programs in disputes which divide groups along the lines of religious identity; and (4) identifying countries and nonstate actors that are severe persecutors on the basis of religious belief and undertaking diplomatic or other actions to address religious freedom violations, in order to protect fundamental national interests; Whereas despite efforts to advance and protect religious freedom over the past two decades, the world is experiencing a religious freedom crisis, creating millions of victims and undermining liberty, prosperity, and peace in places vital to the national interests of the United States and our allies and posing direct challenges in the Middle East, Russia, China, South and Southeast Asia, and sub-Saharan Africa; Whereas an estimated 83 percent of the world’s population lives in countries where freedom of religion and conscience is highly restricted, either by the government or by social groups, according to the latest Pew Research Center’s Study of Global Restrictions on Religion; Whereas the absence of fundamental human rights, including religious freedom, contributes to political instability, violence against religious and ethnic minorities, religious extremism, and terrorism; Whereas research demonstrates that where religious freedom is protected and advanced as a universally recognized human right there is greater peace, political and social stability, economic innovation and development, democratization, women’s empowerment, and less violent religious extremism and terrorism