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.

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.

The International Humanist & Ethical Union

* Being of the opinion that all people should have the freedom to choose their own lifestyle and - regardless of their sexual orientation - are fundamentally equal and have equal rights:

* Being of the opinion that this right of individual self-determination and equality form the basis of democracy and should be defended against all forms of prejudice:

We, the members of the International Humanist & Ethical Union, gathered in Congress on the occasion of our fortieth anniversary, express deep concern at the progressive violation of human rights by the government of the republic of Poland. The latest drastic example of this process is the prospect of the adoption in Poland of the most restrictive anti-abortion law in Europe. Poland's Parliament, pressed by the Catholic Church, rejected both a more liberal version of the law and a call for a national referendum on the issue of abortion. According to the only version of the law now under discussion, a woman will be allowed to demand and obtain an abortion only if her pregnancy would lead her to death.

The International Humanist & Ethical Union, assembled at its 8th World Congress in Hanover, Federal Republic of Germany, August 1-5, 1982, is of the opinion that the continuously growing number of births is a fundamental cause for hunger and mass-suffering on earth.

World-wide birth control by means of immediate and effectual action is necessary to fight the hunger in this world. The unrestrained growth of the world population may be the end of mankind. In countries with a high birth rate more instruction, material encouragement and easily accessible methods of contraception are very necessary. This has to be pursued in spite of religious or ideological opposition.

H.E. The Prime Minister, Don Adolfo Suarez,
Palacio de la Monlcloa
Madrid, Spain

Your Excellency,

1978 is the year in which the United Nations is celebrating the 30th anniversary of the proclamation of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights by the General Assembly, a body of which your country has been a member since December 1951. It is distressing to see that 30 years after the declaration some of these rights have not yet become part and parcel of the laws of all member states.

conception outside the womb

The IHEU welcomes the scientific breakthrough that now makes it possible for conception outside the womb (with implantation) thus permitting some infertile couples to have children.

Where a couple had been unable to conceive by normal means, this scientific discovery - like artificial insemination - can be of great value. Technology based on science thus can contribute to human happiness. This procedure, therefore, is justifiable on ethical grounds.