Kiva is an Internet project allowing people in the developed world to lend, rather than to donate, money to people in the developing world who would otherwise be stuck in the poverty trap. The Humanist team on Kiva has recently joined the top 100 by number of members. There are 8,236 teams on Kiva and the Humanist team, supported by the British Humanist Association, now has 93 members who have made 364 loans totalling $11,100.

Over 120 people crowded into London's Bishopsgate Institute on the evening of 10th July to celebrate the 30th birthday of the Gay and Lesbian Humanist Association (GALHA). Peter Tatchell praised GALHA as "a voice of reason and evidence-based thought" in the face of bigotry and fundamentalism, and warned that "Religious fundamentalism is now the single biggest threat to women's rights and LGBT rights around the world".

Julian Burnside, QC, barrister and Kate Durham, artist have been honoured for assisting asylum seekers redress infringements to their human rights and achieve the first steps towards a better life. The 2009 Australian Humanists of the Year (AHOY) awards are made by IHEU member organization The Council of Australian Humanist Societies.

Hope Knutsson writes: On Wednesday night May 13, 2009 at a monthly board meeting a brilliant idea occurred to the board members of Sidmennt, the Icelandic Ethical Humanist Association, of which I am president. We implemented it in less than 36 hours and have been getting praise from around the world!

In a ruling dated February 17, 2009, the Court of Cassation (Supreme Court) in Rome has acquitted Judge Tosti of all charges. Judge Tosti had been sentenced to seven months in prison for refusing to hold court under a crucifix.

This ruling is a great victory for all secularists, in particular the Giordano Free Thought Federation.

The UK’s first ever atheist advertising campaign launches this week. 800 buses with the slogan “There’s probably no God. Now stop worrying and enjoy your life” are running in cities across England, Scotland and Wales, along with 1,000 adverts on the London underground and two large LCD screens on Oxford Street in London.

IHEU member organization The Gay and Lesbian Humanist Association (GALHA) will celebrate its 30th Anniversary in 2009 with a series of special public meetings. GALHA Secretary David Christmas commented, “There are very few LGBT organisations that have lasted 30 years and probably none at all that have held regular public meetings”.

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"Justice has come in Uganda! The shouts of excitement and tears of joy from African transgender, lesbian, and gay Human Rights Defenders can still be felt from the court room and all around the continent. On 22 December 2008, the High Court of Uganda ruled on Victor Mukasa and Oyoo's case, declaring that Ugandan constitutional rights apply to lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (LGBT/Kuchu) people regardless of whether they are homosexual or transgender.

On Human Rights Day, 10 December 2008, four of the world's leading experts on freedom of expression issued a joint declaration on the dangers posed to that freedom by UN resolutions combating defamation of religion, and by national anti-terrorism and anti-extremism legislation.