Underprivileged religious minorities

Religious minorities may be persecuted or discriminated against by the religious majority group, resulting in lack of equal opportunity and poor living conditions.

Such religious minorities include sects and religious splinter groups which may be ostracized or persecuted, as well as minority groupings of major religions which occur in countries where another religion predominates. Where religion has been closely linked with politics or economic power, or where the practices and beliefs of a religious community are felt to be profane by the community at large, religious minorities have been forced to emigrate, (for example, the Jews, Huguenots, Pilgrim Fathers), or made stateless if no other country will accept them. Discrimination and segregation may take place as a form of ostracism. Certain religious groups may be banned from attending the schools of another group or may insist on separate education for their children, which may not be the best preparation for employment opportunities in the society where they are living. Discrimination may occur in employment and housing. Immigrants bring their religion with them, even if this was not the reason for leaving their native country, and as such set up further frictions with the indigenous community. The protection of religious minorities may be used as a pretext for war by a country where the religion in question predominates.