UK: Advocate for persecuted Pakistani Christians to receive faith award
A young woman from Pakistan who for years has demonstrated outstanding bravery in speaking up for suffering Christians – especially women and girls – has been named the recipient of a leading Catholic charity’s ‘Courage to be Christian’ award.
Ribqa Nevash will be presented with the award as part of the annual Aid to the Church in Need (ACN) (UK) #RedWednesday Mass for persecuted Christians on the evening of 20th November at the Brompton Oratory in London.
Mrs Nevash, aged 24, has been especially outspoken about the plight of Christian women and girls in Pakistan who have been kidnapped and forced to convert to Islam and marry their abductors.
She has helped give a voice to survivors of violent persecution – many of whom she has met in person – in interviews, articles and via other media channels.
She has participated in a number of press conferences calling for justice for Christians who have suffered for their faith, such as in Jaranwala, Punjab Province a week after the devastating anti-Christian riots in August 2023.
Mrs Nevash told ACN that she was “very honoured and grateful to be named the recipient” of the 2024 #RedWednesday ‘Courage to be Christian’ award and that she would do all she can to “help my suffering brothers and sisters”.
She said that she felt “more motivated than ever to speak up” on behalf of those oppressed for following Christ – adding that she saw her award acceptance speech as yet another opportunity to encourage persecuted Christians to “stay strong in their faith despite the daily struggles and difficulties”.
Mrs Nevash speaking at a press conference in Jaranwala.
She went on to say: “I really appreciate all that ACN does for Christians in Pakistan.
“Thank you so much for everything.”
The ACN (UK) #RedWednesday ‘Courage to be Christian’ award will be presented for the second time this year.
In 2023, the first ever recipient of the award was Margaret Attah, a survivor of a deadly jihadist attack on a Catholic church in south-west Nigeria.
Dr Caroline Hull, national director at ACN (UK) said: “We are delighted to present the #RedWednesday ‘Courage to be Christian’ award to Ribqa in recognition of her exceptional strength, courage and determination in advocating for the suffering Church in Pakistan.
“She is a truly remarkable young woman who has persisted in her faith in the face of the discrimination and setbacks she experienced growing up as a Catholic girl in Pakistan.”
Mrs Nevash has spoken to ACN about the adverse treatment she endured as the only Christian student in her year group at the University of Faisalabad and at job interviews as employers kept rejecting her application because she was a Christian.
Dr Hull Said: “Ribqa’s faith and passion are an inspiration for all of us.
“She works extremely hard and has already done so much – despite her young age – to help raise awareness of the many injustices facing the Church in Pakistan.
She concluded: “We look forward to continuing to accompany Ribqa on her journey and helping to amplify her voice so that she can continue to speak for those who are so often suffering in silence simply because of their Christian faith.”
- Ribqa Nevash will receive the ‘Courage to be Christian’ award at the Aid to the Church in Need (UK) #RedWednesday Mass at the Brompton Oratory, London SW7 2RP, 6.30pm for 7pm. All are welcome.
- Find out more about ACN (UK)’s #RedWednesday at acnuk.org/redwednesday.