Geneva, March 16, 2010 -- The Vatican’s record on child abuse was criticized today at the United Nations Human Rights Council. Highlighting the Vatican’s repeated and ongoing efforts to cover up evidence of child abuse by priests, the International Humanist and Ethical Union (IHEU) accused the Vatican of violating its obligations under the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child (CRC).

Demonstrators gathered in London on Sunday, 14 February 2010 under the banner “No Pope, No Vatican – London for a Secular Europe”. There was an additional reason to demonstrate in London this year. It has just been announced that the Pope is to visit Britain later in the year in a state visit, funded by the Government, rather than as a pastoral visit funded by the Church.

The British Humanist Association (BHA) has reacted to the news that the Catholic Education Service has claimed the credit for a Government amendment to the Children, Schools and Families Bill that will deprive children of their right to broad, balanced and objective Sex and Relationships Education.

The National Secular Society (an IHEU member organization in the UK) has announced a large-scale campaign of protest against the state visit of the Pope to Britain in September.

The Council of Ex-Muslims of Britain (CEMB, an IHEU Member Organization) held its second Annual General Meeting (AGM) on 13 December 2009 in London. The AGM unanimously adopted a statement expressing concern over the Swiss vote to ban minarets.

IHEU has followed up its presentation to the Council of Europe’s San Marino conference “The religious dimension of intercultural dialogue” with a massive written submission containing 40 specific recommendations. The paper was prepared in conjunction with the UK National Secular Society. It is also available in the original form, complete with contents and footnotes, as a PDF file for download below.

In the wake of the ad hominem attacks on its spokesman on July 26th, IHEU has called on the United Nations Sub-Commission on Human Rights to unequivocally condemn any call to kill, to terrorise, or to use violence in the name of God, or of any religion.

On behalf of the General Assembly of the International Humanist and Ethical Union, gathered in Paris July 7th and 8th 2005, we utterly condemn the terrorist atrocities committed in London on July 7th. Our condolences go to the families, relatives and friends of the victims of these horrible acts.

We are encouraged to learn that the leaders of all major religions have denounced these attacks. The IHEU deplores the use of religious belief to justify violence and utterly condemns those who preach violence in the name of religion.

In a joint statement with the Association for World Education, Representative David G Littman spoke at the UN Commission on Human Rights on 15 April 2005. He gave the results of a survey of 51 female slaves over the age of 11.

Honorable Prime Minister