Overview
Over 4.5 million prisoners in the Asia Pacific region are locked away and forgotten.
Sprawling from the mountains of Pakistan and Mongolia to the islands of Guam, Fiji and New Zealand, Asia Pacific region accounts for more than half of the world’s population. Across 47 nations, the region is the birthplace of 11 major religions, with the sounds of at least 2000 different languages across nearly 50 ethnic groups. The region has seen the growth of the richest Asian cities, and the poverty cycles of the poorest crime-ridden villages. Postmodern secularism, Islam and polytheistic eastern philosophies are among the dominant belief systems throughout the region. Christianity is heavily overshadowed by these in many nations, making up a mere 7% of the region. It is an uphill task for Christian ministries to receive support from prison authorities and the community. Criminal justice systems are largely punitive rather than restorative, focusing on the shame and suffering of prisoners rather than hope and transformation. In emerging economies, vulnerable families and children of prisoners are often ostracized in their communities and lack basic needs for survival. Prison Fellowship
