Open Doors released its annual report of global persecution of Christians on January 10. For some, the numbers might be shocking.

Open Doors is one of the oldest ministries to continually work with persecuted Christians throughout the world. Each year they release the Open Doors World Watch List - an annual ranking of the 50 countries where Christians face the most persecution.

For the 16th year in a row, North Korea has topped the organization's list. Open Doors says that the isolated country currently has "more than 50,000 people in prison or labour camps," and that "such a ranking is little surprise for the totalitarian regime that controls every aspect of life in the country and forces worship of the Kim family."

The missions organization says that in the Middle East persecution has taken a dramatic rise. Afghanistan has especially seen a rise in persecution, largely in part due to a lack of central government, and a continual rise of extremist religious groups.

"Afghanistan and North Korea nearly tied," Open Doors CEO David Curry says. "Both countries are extreme in intolerance and outright persecution of Christians in every area Open Doors monitors. Afghanistan now meets the same level of persecution as North Korea in five out of the six areas. This is a tragedy considering the efforts being made by the international community to help rebuild Afghanistan are failing to ensure freedom of religion," said Curry.

Christian women especially face persecution around the globe. Open Door says that women, in fact, face double persecution due to both faith and gender issues. 

"Every day six women are raped, sexually harassed or forced into marriage to a Muslim under threat of death due to their Christian faith. The 2018 Open Doors World Watch List documented 2,260 such incidences against women—a number that only covers those who had the courage to report such an incident, and is estimated to be a mere fraction of those actually raped and harassed in this way," Open Doors said in a release.

According to Open Doors, Christianity is one of the most persecuted religions in the world. "While persecution of Christians takes many forms, it is defined as any hostility experienced as a result of identification with Christ. Christians throughout the world continue to risk imprisonment, loss of home and assets, torture, beheadings, rape, and even death as a result of their faith."