With almost all major religions being practiced throughout the country, India is known for its religious diversity. Islam makes up the highest share among minority faiths in the country. According to the Indian census of 2011, the Muslim population in Uttar Pradesh more than 35 million, making it the state with the most Muslims.

Socio-economic conditions of Muslims
Muslims seem to lag behind every other religious community in India in terms of living standards, financial stability, education and other aspects, thereby showing poor performance in most of the fields. According to a national survey, 17 percent of the Muslims were categorized under the lowest wealth index, which indicates poor socio-economic conditions.

Growth of Muslim population in India
Islam is one of the fastest-growing religions worldwide. According to India’s census, the Muslim population has witnessed a negative decadal growth of more than 16 percent from 1951 to 1960, presumably due to the partitions forming Pakistan and Bangladesh. The population showed a positive and steady growth since 1961, making up 14 percent of the total population of India . Even though people following Islam were estimated to grow significantly, they would still remain a minority in India compared to 1.3 billion Hindus by 2050.

According to the latest census data, Lakshadweep, the island union territory had the highest share of Muslim population in the country, where 97 percent of its population identified as followers of the Islamic faith. Jammu & Kashmir ranked second at 68 percent during the same time period. With almost all major religions being practiced throughout the country, India is known for its religious diversity. Islam makes up the highest share among minority faiths in the country.

As of 2010, Christianity was the religion with the most followers worldwide, followed by Islam (Muslims) and Hinduism. In the forty years between 2010 and 2050, it is projected that the landscape of world religions will undergo some noticeable changes, with the number of Muslims almost catching up to Christians. The changes in population sizes of each religious group is largely dependent on demographic development, for example, the rise in the world's Christian population will largely be driven by population growth in Sub-Saharan Africa, while Muslim populations will rise across various regions of Africa and South Asia. As India's population is set to grow while China's goes into decline, this will be reflected in the fact that Hindus will outnumber the unaffiliated by 2050. In fact, India may be home to both the largest Hindu and Muslim populations in the world by the middle of this century.

Census: Population: by Religion: Muslim: Uttar Pradesh data was reported at 38,483,967.000 Person in 03-01-2011. This records an increase from the previous number of 30,740,158.000 Person for 03-01-2001. Census: Population: by Religion: Muslim: Uttar Pradesh data is updated decadal, averaging 34,612,062.500 Person from Mar 2001 (Median) to 03-01-2011, with 2 observations. The data reached an all-time high of 38,483,967.000 Person in 03-01-2011 and a record low of 30,740,158.000 Person in 03-01-2001. Census: Population: by Religion: Muslim: Uttar Pradesh data remains active status in CEIC and is reported by Office of the Registrar General & Census Commissioner, India. The data is categorized under India Premium Database’s Demographic – Table IN.GAE003: Census: Population: by Religion: Muslim.

According to a survey conducted in 2020, there were approximately 3.85 million Muslims in the United States in 2020, up from about 2.75 in 2011.

The 2000 constitution of Cote d’Ivoire provides for religious freedom for all citizens. Approximately 40 percent of the population is Christian, another 40 percent is Muslim, and an estimated 25 percent of the population practice indigenous beliefs. Traditionally, the north has been associated with Islam and the south with Christianity. Throughout rural areas and central Cote d’Ivoire you will find people practicing indigenous beliefs. Many nominal Christian and Muslim practitioners practice a hybrid of Christian and indigenous or Muslim and indigenous beliefs. Nearly all Christians and Muslims belong to ethnic groups that believe in animism, fetishism, and witchcraft. Christian groups include Roman Catholics, Jehovah’s Witnesses, Seventh-day Adventists, Methodists, Assemblies of God, and Southern Baptists. The Evangelical Protestant Church of Cote d’Ivoire has over 1500 organized churches in its membership. The Basilica of Our Lady of Peace of Yamoussoukro is a Roman Catholic basilica built in the late 1980s by then-President Felix Houphouet-Boigny. It is considered the largest church in the world. The USD 300 million price tag contributed to a significant portion to the total national debt of Cote d’Ivoire. Historically, Christian religions have been slightly favored by the government with the Catholic Church being the favorite. While Christian schools received subsidies from the Ministry of Education for decades, Muslim schools were only considered official schools and given similar subsidies beginning in 1994. Accusations of discrimination against Islamic and traditional religious communities concerned employment, national identity card renewals, and the aforementioned religious school subsidies. This resulted in government resentment from both indigenous and Muslim populations. A 1999 coup led political leaders to stir up religious divisions between the north and south. Alassane Ouattara, a Muslim northerner was banned from the 2000 election. This led to a 2002 troop mutiny and rebellion by discontent northern Muslims. Religious tensions escalated in 2010 with the presidential election results. Alassane Ouattara was elected president and incumbent President Laurent Gbagbo rejected the results and refused to step down. Ouattara is a northern Muslim, Gbagbo a southern Christian. The ensuing violence, destruction of property, and massive displacement of people divided Cote d’Ivoire into two regions, north and south. The underlying ethnic, religious, and national fragmentation of Cote d’Ivoire contributed greatly to this division. Only minor reports of discrimination based on religious affiliation, belief, or practice have occurred in 2012. ISO3 - International Organization for Standardization 3-digit country code ADM0_NAME - Administration level zero name NAME - Name of religious institution TYPE - Type of religious instituion CITY - City location of religious institution SPA_ACC - Spatial accuracy of site location 1- high, 2 – medium, 3 - low SOURCE_DT - Primary source creation date SOURCE - Primary source SOURCE2_DT - Secondary source creation date SOURCE2 - Secondary source

In 2020, around 28.8 percent of the global population were identified as Christian. Around 25.6 percent of the global population identify as Muslims, followed by 14.9 percent of global populations as Hindu. The number of Muslims increased by 347 million, when compared to 2010 data, more than all other religions combined.

Officially Taiwan has only 60,000 Muslim population, which constitutes only 0.2 % of the total population of Taiwan but many Muslims from countries like Indonesia, Myanmar, Malaysia, Turkey, Pakistan, India, and countries from Africa and the Middle East are part of the workforce which was estimated up to 254,000 in 2015. Interestingly, the number of local Muslims is less than those who came here to work or to study. There are about 7 mosques in Taiwan but it also has many other places where people can perform daily prayers.

Between 2010 and 2024 in the Netherlands, the percentage of people who do not identify with any religion increased from 45 percent to 56 percent. The largest religious group in 2024 was the Roman Catholic group, with 17 percent of Dutch people identifying as Roman Catholic. In 2024, 14 percent of the Dutch population considered themselves a member of the three main protestant churches, the Dutch Reformed Church, the Protestant Church in the Netherlands, and the Reformed Churches in the Netherlands. The percentage of people who identify as Muslim has remained the same at five percent over the years. Do the people who identify with a religion always participate? The percentage of people in the Netherlands who participate in a religion is not necessarily the same as that of people who identify with a religion. The most prominent religious group, the Roman Catholics, only saw a participation of three percent, the same as those identifying with the Protestant Church, despite only six percent identifying with that denomination. The highest participation rate is in the group 'other' with four percent, despite only 10 percent identifying in those religions. It shows, therefore, that some religions see significantly higher participation rates despite a lower percentage identifying with it. Does the percentage of Muslims in the Netherlands align with the perceived percentage of Muslims? In 2018, the Dutch population believed that 20 percent of the population was Muslim, even though only five percent were Muslim. This overestimation of the Muslim population is in line with the rest of Europe. Germany, for example, predicted a Muslim population of 21 percent while the actual Muslim population was four percent. In Belgium, residents believed that 27 percent of the population was Muslim, while in reality, it was only five percent.

The 2000 constitution of Cote d’Ivoire provides for religious freedom for all citizens. Approximately 40 percent of the population is Christian, another 40 percent is Muslim, and an estimated 25 percent of the population practice indigenous beliefs. Traditionally, the north has been associated with Islam and the south with Christianity. Throughout rural areas and central Cote d’Ivoire you will find people practicing indigenous beliefs. Many nominal Christian and Muslim practitioners practice a hybrid of Christian and indigenous or Muslim and indigenous beliefs. Nearly all Christians and Muslims belong to ethnic groups that believe in animism, fetishism, and witchcraft. Christian groups include Roman Catholics, Jehovah’s Witnesses, Seventh-day Adventists, Methodists, Assemblies of God, and Southern Baptists. The Evangelical Protestant Church of Cote d’Ivoire has over 1500 organized churches in its membership. The Basilica of Our Lady of Peace of Yamoussoukro is a Roman Catholic basilica built in the late 1980s by then-President Felix Houphouet-Boigny. It is considered the largest church in the world. The USD 300 million price tag contributed to a significant portion to the total national debt of Cote d’Ivoire. Historically, Christian religions have been slightly favored by the government with the Catholic Church being the favorite. While Christian schools received subsidies from the Ministry of Education for decades, Muslim schools were only considered official schools and given similar subsidies beginning in 1994. Accusations of discrimination against Islamic and traditional religious communities concerned employment, national identity card renewals, and the aforementioned religious school subsidies. This resulted in government resentment from both indigenous and Muslim populations. A 1999 coup led political leaders to stir up religious divisions between the north and south. Alassane Ouattara, a Muslim northerner was banned from the 2000 election. This led to a 2002 troop mutiny and rebellion by discontent northern Muslims. Religious tensions escalated in 2010 with the presidential election results. Alassane Ouattara was elected president and incumbent President Laurent Gbagbo rejected the results and refused to step down. Ouattara is a northern Muslim, Gbagbo a southern Christian. The ensuing violence, destruction of property, and massive displacement of people divided Cote d’Ivoire into two regions, north and south. The underlying ethnic, religious, and national fragmentation of Cote d’Ivoire contributed greatly to this division. Only minor reports of discrimination based on religious affiliation, belief, or practice have occurred in 2012. ISO3 - International Organization for Standardization 3-digit country code ADM0_NAME - Administration level zero identification / name RELIGION - Type of religion SOURCE_DT - Primary source creation date SOURCE - Primary source

Mali is a predominantly Muslim country with 94.84 percent of the population belonging to Islam. Of that 94.84 percent, only 0.8 percent is Shi’a versus the greater majority of Sunni Muslims in the country. While most of the population is Muslim, a small minority practice other religions as well; 2.37 percent Christianity, 2.02 percent Animist, 0.04 percent Other, 0.45 percent Atheist/Agnostic, and 0.28 percent Undeclared. Of the 2.37 percent of Christians in Mali, the majority of those are Roman Catholic. The Catholic Church has six dioceses that make up less than two percent of Mali’s population. Mali is typically defined as a secular state, with a constitution and code of laws that protect the public’s right for religious freedom and practice.

While the Malian government is officially secular, it frequently consults the moderate High Council of Islam (HCIM) and the Committee of Wise Men on controversial social issues of national scope. The HCIM is an umbrella organization with representatives from all significant Muslim organizations in-country as well as over 160 non-governmental organizations. The Committee of Wise Men includes the Catholic Archbishop and prominent Malian Protestant and Muslim leaders. In an effort to enshrine its commitment to multi-faith democracy, the Malian government has declared a diverse set of religious holidays as national holidays, including Mawloud, the Prophet’s Baptism, Easter Monday, Eid al- Fitf, Tabaski, and Christmas.

Religion is not taught in any public school in Mali. There are some private schools and madrasas that do offer both Christian and Islamic teachings in addition to the state-mandated secular curriculum. In Mali, most madrasas are located in the south in areas such as Sikasso (600), Segou (428), and Bamako (268). In the northern regions of Mali there are a little over 300 madrasas.

In recent months, a loose coalition of militant Tuareg and Islamist groups, including al-Qaeda in the Islamic Maghreb (AQIM), Ansar Dine, the Movement for Unity and Jihad in West Africa (MUJAO), and the Azawad National Liberation Movement (MNLA), has taken over northern Mali with the goal of forming an Islamic state in the Trans-Sahara region. Areas under militant control have seen the imposition of strict Sharia law, including bans on music and severe restrictions on women and practitioners of non-Islamic faiths. In Timbuktu and other northern urban centers, different Islamic groups have destroyed numerous ancient Sufi mosques, tombs, and other artifacts in an effort to purge the region of “heretical” faiths.

This statistic displays the projected Muslim population proportions in selected European countries in 2050, by scenario. In 2010 the proportion of Muslims in the population of Germany was *** percent, compared with *** percent in the UK and *** percent in France. Depending on the different migration scenarios estimated here, Germany's share of Muslims in the population could rise up to **** percent of it's population by 2050, higher than both the UK and France, with projected Muslim populations of **** and ** percent respectively.

In 2023, over ** percent of Indonesians declared themselves to be Muslim, followed by *** percent who were Christians. Indonesia has the largest Islamic population in the world and for this reason is often recognized as a Muslim nation. However, Indonesia is not a Muslim nation according to its constitution. The archipelago is a multifaith country and officially recognizes six religions – Islam, Protestantism, Catholicism, Buddhism, Hinduism, and Confucianism. Not all provinces in Indonesia are Muslim majority The spread of Islam in Indonesia began on the west side of the archipelago, where the main maritime trade routes were located. Until today, most of the Indonesian Muslim population are residing in Western and Central Indonesia, while the majority religion of several provinces in Eastern Indonesia, such as East Nusa Tenggara and Bali, is Christian and Hindu, respectively. Discrimination towards other beliefs in Indonesia The Indonesian constitution provides for freedom of religion. However, the Government Restrictions Index Score on religion in Indonesia is relatively high. Indonesians who practice unrecognized religions, including Indonesia’s indigenous or traditional belief systems, such as animism, dynamism, and totemism, face legal restrictions and discrimination. Indonesian law requires its citizens to put one of the recognized religions on their national identity cards, with some exceptions for indigenous religions. Although legally citizens may leave the section blank, atheism or agnosticism is considered uncommon in Indonesia.

The size of the Halal Foods & Beverages Industry market was valued at USD XX Million in 2023 and is projected to reach USD XXX Million by 2032, with an expected CAGR of 6.60% during the forecast period. The Halal foods and beverages industry encompasses products that adhere to Islamic dietary laws, which prohibit certain ingredients and production practices. The term "halal" means "permissible" in Arabic, and in the context of food, it refers to products that are allowed under Islamic law. Halal foods exclude pork, alcohol, and any animal improperly slaughtered or contaminated with non-halal substances. Beyond compliance with dietary laws, halal products are often expected to meet high standards of hygiene, safety, and quality, aligning with the values of health-conscious consumers worldwide. The global Halal foods and beverages industry has witnessed significant growth in recent years, driven by an expanding Muslim population, which currently makes up about a quarter of the world’s population. This demand extends to non-Muslim consumers as well, who increasingly view halal products as a guarantee of quality, safety, and ethical standards. The industry includes a variety of sectors, from meat and dairy to snacks, beverages, and processed foods, with certified halal products being subject to specific sourcing, preparation, and certification processes. Key drivers for this market are: Demand for specialty and organic coffee pods and capsules, Innovations in packaging formats. Potential restraints include: Availability of counterfeit products. Notable trends are: Increasing Muslim Expatriate Population.

Radical new paradigms are needed to equip non-professionals and leverage community faith-based infrastructure to address the individual and communal wounds of war- and conflict-related trauma. Muslims in war-torn regions like Somalia experience high rates of trauma and posttraumatic stress; yet, lack of providers, potential stigma, and lack of integration with one's faith are substantial barriers to care. In this pre-post feasibility clinical trial (NCT03761732), mosque leaders implemented a brief, group- and mosque-based intervention, Islamic Trauma Healing, targeting trauma-related psychopathology and community reconciliation for trauma survivors (N = 26) in Somaliland, Somalia. Leaders were trained in a brief 2-day training, with supervision provided remotely via WhatsApp. This six-session intervention combines empirically-supported trauma-focused psychotherapy and Islamic principles, focusing on wisdom from the lives of the Prophets and turning to Allah in dua about trauma. There were large, clinically meaningful effects for PTSD (g = 1.91), depression (g = 2.00), somatic symptoms (g = 2.73), and well-being (g = 1.77). Qualitative data from group members highlighted how well the program was aligned with their Islamic faith, built community, and need to expand the program. These results highlight the feasibility of this non-expert, easily up-scalable mental health approach in war-torn Muslim regions and refugee communities. This program has the potential to provide a low-cost, self-sustaining, Islam-based intervention addressing the psychological wounds of war consistent with the IOM's call to develop novel approaches to address unmet clinical needs.ClinicalTrials.govIdentifier: NCT03761732.

With almost all major religions being practiced throughout the country, India is known for its religious diversity. Hinduism made up for the highest share of faith followed by people in the country. According to the Indian census of 2011, Muslims had the highest population growth in the country.

Takaful Market Outlook

The global Takaful market size was valued at approximately USD 25 billion in 2023 and is anticipated to reach around USD 45 billion by 2032, achieving a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of approximately 7%. This growth is driven by the increasing demand for Sharia-compliant insurance products, which are gaining traction among both Muslim and non-Muslim populations interested in ethical financial products. The rising awareness and acceptance of Takaful as a viable alternative to conventional insurance is further propelling market expansion. A growing middle-class population and economic development in key regions are also major contributors to the burgeoning Takaful market.

One of the primary growth drivers in the Takaful market is the increasing demand for Islamic financial products that adhere to Sharia law, which prohibits interest (riba) and excessive uncertainty (gharar). Takaful, a cooperative model of insurance, aligns perfectly with these principles, offering a risk-sharing approach that is in harmony with Islamic teachings. As awareness of Islamic finance grows, particularly in regions with significant Muslim populations, the market for Takaful is expanding. Moreover, the alignment of Takaful products with ethical and socially responsible investing is attracting a broader customer base, including non-Muslims who value ethical and transparent financial dealings.

The expansion of Takaful is also facilitated by supportive regulatory frameworks in various countries, which are establishing clear guidelines to promote the growth of Islamic finance. Several governments in predominantly Muslim countries, as well as in regions with substantial Muslim communities, are encouraging the adoption of Takaful by offering tax incentives and easing regulatory procedures. This is coupled with the increasing professionalization of the Takaful sector, as more trained professionals and institutions begin to enter the market, thus improving service delivery and product offerings. These factors, combined with a growing digital infrastructure that allows for more efficient service delivery and customer engagement, are significantly boosting the Takaful market's growth prospects.

A crucial factor in the growth of the Takaful market is the increasing penetration of Islamic banking and finance sectors across the globe. Islamic banking, which is growing at a fast pace, provides a solid foundation for the Takaful market by offering complementary financial services. The integration of Takaful products within the Islamic banking system is enhancing the distribution channels and accessibility of these products. Furthermore, the cross-selling of Takaful products through Islamic banking networks has been an effective strategy in driving customer acquisition and retention, thus bolstering the market's growth trajectory.

Regionally, the Takaful market is experiencing varied growth patterns, with the Middle East and Asia Pacific regions being the primary growth engines due to their large Muslim populations and supportive regulatory environments. The Middle East holds a significant share of the market, primarily due to the presence of countries like Saudi Arabia and the UAE, which have well-established Takaful industries. In contrast, regions like North America and Europe, though still nascent in Takaful adoption, are witnessing steady growth driven by increasing awareness and the presence of expatriate communities. These regions are gradually developing their regulatory frameworks to accommodate Islamic finance, opening up new avenues for market expansion.

Product Type Analysis

The Takaful market is segmented into Family Takaful and General Takaful, each serving distinct customer needs and playing a critical role in the overall growth of the market. Family Takaful, akin to life insurance in conventional finance, provides financial security to an individual's family in the event of the policyholder's death or disability. This segment is witnessing considerable growth due to increasing consumer awareness about financial planning and security. As individuals become more proactive in securing their financial futures, especially in regions with a high density of Muslim populations, the demand for Family Takaful products is surging. The introduction of innovative products tailored to meet diverse customer needs is further fueling this segment's expansion.

General Takaful, which offers coverage for various risks such as health, property, and motor insurance, is also experiencing robust growth. The increasing urbanization and rising disposable incomes

Poverty and empowerment impacts of the Bihar Rural Livelihoods Project: Evidence from a Mixed-Methods Cluster-Randomized Trial Jeevika is a World Bank assisted project focussed (now under the umbrella of the NRLM) on building networks of women's self-help credit and savings groups,and then using them as a base of other "vertical" interventions. This houshold and village survey data was collected over two rounds to conduct an impact evaluation of Phase 2 of the project with random assignment of the project over a two year period. Collaboration: World Bank Social Observatory team with Government of Bihar. Evaluation design, methods and implementation In order to evaluate the impacts of Jeevika, 180 panchayats were randomly selected from within 16 blocks in seven districts where scale-up of the project was planned but had not yet occurred. Some of these blocks were in districts relatively far from Patna, which had not yet been entered by the project (Madhepura, Saharsa, Supaul), while others were within the larger districts within which Jeevika was already operating (Gaya, Nalanda, Madhubani, Muzaffarpur). The project had already entered these districts in Phase 1, but had not yet expanded to all blocks due to (project) capacity constraints. Within each of the study villages, hamlets (tolas) in which the majority of the population belonged to a scheduled caste or scheduled tribe were identified. This was the same procedure as used by Jeevika to identify the target population (of poor women) for mobilization into the project. Tolas were identified through a focus group discussion held in each village, along with the population of target castes (SC/STs) within each. In Bihar, tola boundaries are easily distinguishable. Field teams would enter the tola at a random point, determine the skip pattern based on the population size and target sample size, and select households through a random walk. Survey staff aimed to include 70% SC/ST households, and 30% households from other castes in each village, in order to ensure variation in socio-economic status within the sample. If the households in selected tolas included fewer SC/ST households than this, households from nearby non-SC/ST majority tolas were also included in the sample. Interviews for the quantitative study were conducted using a structured paper survey form. Baseline and follow up surveys included detailed questions on debt, asset holdings, consumption expenditures, livelihood activities, and women’s mobility, role in household decisions, and aspirations. In addition, in each village, a focus group discussion was conducted, through which data were collected on village level attributes such as local sources of credit, interest rates from each source, local wage rates, and the presence of or distance to markets and other institutions and amenities. Respondents were not compensated for their time. If a respondent was unavailable during initial field visit, the supervisor recorded contact details and returned with interviewers at a later date. As long as the survey team was in that district, repeat visits were undertaken, keeping attrition to a minimum. If a household could not be re-surveyed at endline, it was replaced with another household in the same village. Short re-surveys containing a subset of questions from the main survey were conducted by supervisors for 10% of the sample. Staff from the project also conducted occasional visits after the survey was completed in a village to confirm that all modules had been covered by survey staff. Data was entered in duplicate using CSPro and any discrepancies were corrected based on the paper form. Following the baseline survey, panchayats were stratified on the 16 administrative blocks in the sample and the panchayat-level mean of outstanding high cost (monthly interest rate of 4% or higher) debt held by households at baseline. They were then randomly assigned to an early rollout group or a late rollout group using the random number generator within the Stata statistical analysis software package. The baseline survey was administered to 8988 households across 333 villages in 179 panchayats. The target number of households per panchayat was 50, but there was some variation around this in reality. The lowest number of households in a given panchayat was 49 (9 panchayats), and the largest number was 53 households (3 panchayats). To ensure that control panchayats were not entered by the project, Jeevika held a quarterly ""evaluation panchayat"" meeting, which block project managers of the 16 blocks were required to attend. At these meetings the project M&E team checked whether any village in a control panchayat had been entered, and received an update on progress in treatment panchayats. This procedure was successful in maintaining adherence to randomized treatment assignment throughout the evaluation period. Of the 4,472 households in the sample across 89 panchayats allocated to receive the SHG intervention, 2,722 reported that one of their members belonged to an SHG by endline, constituting 61% of the sample. Since SHG membership was optional, approximately 38% of households in treatment group panchayats had no member in an SHG by endline. The remaining 56 households (across 39 panchayats) did not answer this question or were lost to follow-up (only one such household was not replaced). Although it was possible for those residing in control areas to join (non-Jeevika) SHGs, the proportion of households group in this area containing SHG members remained minimal at endline, with only 460 households (just over 10% of the total sample) reporting SHG membership. Attrition (and replacement) were similar in control and treatment arms, with 132 treatment group baseline households not reached for a follow-up interview and all but one of these replaced, and 128 not reached and thus replaced in the control group. The qualitative evaluation draws on data collected from 2011 to early 2015 in six villages, two where Jeevika had been operating since 2006, two it entered during Phase II, and two where it had not yet intervened by the end of data collection. The Phase I treatment villages were selected at random from the set of previously entered villages in two different districts – Muzaffarpur and Madhubani. Each treatment village was then matched with a set of control villages using propensity score matching methods (Imbens and Rubin 2015) on the basis of village level data from the 2001 government census on literacy, caste composition, landlessness, levels of outmigration, and the availability of infrastructure. In order to find the closest treatment-control match, field investigators then visited the set of possible controls for two days for visual inspection and qualitative assessment. This combined quantitative and qualitative matching method yielded three matched pairs of phase I treatment, phase II treatment, and control villages, with each pair located within the same district. This method of sample selection allows comparison of villages receiving the intervention at each stage with their statistical clones that received it at a different stage or had not received it at all, allowing us to draw causal inferences about the effects induced by Jeevika during the different phases of its expansion. For the purpose of keeping their identity anonymous, we refer to the villages in Madhubani district as Ramganj (Phase I treatment), Nauganj (Phase II treatment) and Virganj (control) and the villages in Muzaffarpur district Saifpur (Phase I treatment), Raipur (Phase II treatment) and Bhimpur (Control). Villages in Madhubani are divided into segregated and caste-homogenous tolas. Brahmins are a majority in these villages, and their tolas are located close to the main resources of the village: the temple, pond and school. All other tolas extend southwards in decreasing order of status in the caste hierarchy, with the Schedule Caste (SC) communities being located farthest south. Each of these communities is also spatially segregated. The SC communities of these villages are mainly comprised of Musahar, Pasi, Ram, and Dhobi subcastes, and the other backward caste communities are comprised of Yadav, Mandal, Badhai, Hajaam, and Teli subcastes. The only big difference between Ramganj and Virganj is that the former has a sizeable Muslim population, comprising Sheikhs, Ansaris, Nutts and Pamariyas, while in the latter, there is only one Muslim (Sheikh) family in the entire village. Inhabitants of these villages primarily depend on agriculture and related activities for their livelihood. The villages in Muzaffarpur district are largely similar to the ones in Madhubani with the important differences being that they are primarily bazaar (market)-centric and the dominant caste is the Chaudhury, who belong to the business community. In each of these villages, first, preliminary studies were conducted using several participatory rural appraisal methods to gain an understanding of the layout of the village. Following this, a team of four field investigators (recruited from a local research-based NGO) accompanied by one of the three principal researchers would visit the villages every three to four months for a cycle of data collection (11 in total over the study period). During every cycle, the ethnographers would enter a different tola in the village for a week (there are roughly 10 tolas in each village). The ethnographers spoke to as many respondents as possible across the village and also returned to the first few respondents in the concluding cycles of data collection. These repeat interviews allowed us to see how respondents reflected on changes experienced as a result of the project [or otherwise] over the four-year period. The first set of participants was selected to be representative of different socioeconomic strata in the village, and subsequent participants were selected via a mixture of purposive and snowball sampling. We

This statistic displays the Muslim population share in Belgium, the Netherlands and Luxembourg (Benelux) in 2016, by country. It was estimated that Muslims in the Netherlands made up just over seven percent of the total population. This was slightly lower than in Belgium, but significantly higher than in Luxembourg.

(UNCLASSIFIED) There are three main ethnolinguistic groups that made up ethnicity in Liberia; Mel, Mande, and Kru. The ethnic mix of Liberia has contributed to a rich culture as well as ethnic tension. It is common for politics in West Africa to divide along ethnic lines. Ethnic tension along with poor economic and social conditions and political instability were the leading causes for the two recent civil wars in the country. This first began in 1989 when the National Patriotic Front of Liberia, led by Charles Taylor, rose up against the Kran dominant government lead by Samuel Doe. The first civil war ended in 1997 with Charles Taylor formally voted into power. During the civil war Taylor commonly targeted Muslim Mande populations and the Kran for being the two groups most associated with the Doe regime. The opposition to Taylor retaliated by attacking Christian sites. Taylor’s regime was chaotic which led to a second civil war that began in 1999 with full scale war in 2003; a cease fire was signed the same year which ended the civil war. The actions during both civil wars show how politics and ethnicity go hand in hand and can produce ethnoreligious violence. Many in Liberia participate in secret societies known as hale, this is the most controlling and unifying force in Liberian culture with most participants belonging to one or more societies. They are both religious and political in nature and lay out acceptable and unacceptable behavior. There are numerous different hale societies offering regulations on how someone should act in society. The two most important hale societies are the men’s Poro and the female’s Sande, with participants joining at puberty to be taught the ideals of manhood and womanhood. Initiations are secret and performed in the forest. Reports state that initiation into the Sande society often includes female genital mutilation while boys undergo circumcisions in the Poro society. Belonging to either the Poro or Sande society is so important among traditional communities that those who do not join are not considered a member of the village, clan, or tribe. Mande - The Mande people group is the largest ethnicity in Liberia and has multiple subgroups. Agriculture, trade, and animal husbandry are common economic activities among the Mande people. They are patrilineal and the oldest male serves as the lineage head. Class structure is also common among Mande people typically consisting of royal, noble, commoner, artisan, and former slave classes. The largest Mande subgroup are the Kpelle and alone they account for 20.3 percent of the total Liberian population. The Kpelle organize themselves into many chiefdoms each of which are led by a paramount chief. While mass conversion to Christianity happened in the nineteenth century many still practice indigenous belief systems either alone or in combination with Christianity. Mel - The Mel group in Liberia is comprised of the Kissi and the Gola, 4.8 percent and 4.4 percent of the population respectively. Most Kissi are either Christian, animists, or a combination of the two. A small population, roughly 9 percent, is Muslim. Most are subsistence farmers or urban laborers. During the first civil war they were in conflict with the Kran. Kru – The Kru are organized based on patrilineal relationships and divided in many subgroups. As with many other ethnic groups in the region, while many have converted to Christianity there is still a significant portion that still adheres to indigenous beliefs or incorporates them into Christianity. Indigenous beliefs are passed through folklores and proverbs. Attribute Table Field DescriptionsISO3 - International Organization for Standardization 3-digit country code ADM0_NAME - Administration level zero identification / name PEOPLEGP_1 - People Group level 1 PEOPLEGP_2 - People Group level 2 PEOPLEGP_3 - People Group level 3 PEOPLEGP_4 - People Group level 4 PEOPLEGP_5 - People Group level 5 ALT_NAMES - Alternative names or spellings for a people group COMMENTS - Comments or notes regarding the people group SOURCE_DT - Source one creation date SOURCE - Source one SOURCE2_DT - Source two creation date SOURCE2 - Source two CollectionThe feature class was constructed by combining information from Murdock’s Map of Africa (1959) with other anthropological literature pertaining to Liberian ethnicity. The information was then processed through DigitalGlobe’s AnthropMapper program to generate more accurate ethnic coverage boundaries. Anthromapper uses geographical terrain features, combined with a watershed model, to predict the likely extent of ethnic and linguistic influence. The data included herein have not been derived from a registered survey and should be considered approximate unless otherwise defined. While rigorous steps have been taken to ensure the quality of each dataset, DigitalGlobe is not responsible for the accuracy and completeness of data compiled from outside sources.Sources (HGIS)Anthromapper. DigitalGlobe, September 2014.Gonen, Amiram. The Encyclopedia of the Peoples of the World. New York: Henry Holt and Company, 1993.Levinson, David. Encyclopedia of World Cultures: Africa and the Middle East. Boston: G.K. Hall and Co., 1995.Minority Rights Group International. World Directory of Minorities and Indigenous Peoples, “Liberia Overview.” January 2005. Accessed September 23, 2014. http://www.minorityrights.org/directory.Murdock, George Peter. Tribal Map of Africa from Africa: Its Peoples and Their Culture History. New York: McGraw-Hill Book Co., January 1959.Olson, James S. The Peoples of Africa: An Ethnohistorical Dictionary. Westport: Greenworod Press, 1996.The Diagram Group. Encyclopedia African Peoples. London: Diagram Visual Information, 2000.Yakan, Mohamad Z. Almanac of African Peoples and Nations. New Brunswick: Transaction Publishers, 1999.Sources (Metadata)Central Intelligence Agency. The World FactBook, “Liberia.” June 20, 2014. Accessed September 22, 2014. https://www.cia.gov/index.html.Gonen, Amiram. The Encyclopedia of the Peoples of the World. New York: Henry Holt and Company, 1993.Humanitarian News and Analysis, “Liberia: FGM continues in rural secrecy.” September 24, 2008. Accessed September 23, 2014. http://www.irinnews.org/.Levinson, David. Encyclopedia of World Cultures: Africa and the Middle East. Boston: G.K. Hall and Co., 1995.Olson, James S. The Peoples of Africa: An Ethnohistorical Dictionary. Westport: Greenworod Press, 1996.The Diagram Group. Encyclopedia African Peoples. London: Diagram Visual Information, 2000.Vogel, Health. Blogging without Maps: a Journey through Liberia, “Societies within Society – The Secret Societies of Liberia.” June 16, 2012. Accessed September 23, 2014. http://bloggingwithoutmaps.blogspot.com/.Yakan, Mohamad Z. Almanac of African Peoples and Nations. New Brunswick: Transaction Publishers, 1999.