The American Humanist Association (a founding member organization of the International Humanist and Ethical Union) has praised President Obama's comments at the National Prayer Breakfast, expressing gratitude that in his remarks the President included and commended nontheists among those who are leading relief efforts in Haiti. "The compassion and decency of the American people is expressed… by Americans of every faith, and no faith, uniting around a common purpose, a higher purpose," Obama stated at the event this morning, 4 Feb. 2010.

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.

Homophobia is the greatest test Humanists are facing today in Uganda. As I write this piece, demonstrators - a bunch of youth led by Uganda's thieving and hypocritical pastors are - covering the entire Kampala city with vehicles loaded with mega-speakers and hundreds of youth shouting all sorts of insults at the Danish embassy, very near to my office, and all other foreign embassies that have recently come out to speak for tolerance and a need to observe human rights laws.

The British Humanist Association (BHA) has condemned votes in the House of Lords last night, January 25, which removed the requirement for discrimination against gay people by religious organisations to be "proportionate."

The UK gay Humanist charity, the Pink Triangle Trust (PTT), is appalled to learn that yet another African country, Rwanda, is planning viciously homophobic legislation in line with that being debated in Uganda.

The Gay and Lesbian Humanist Association (GALHA) has presented Stephen Fry with its 2009 award for services to Humanism and LGBT rights, in recognition of his long record of standing up both for LGBT rights and for wider humanist values.

Ugandan Humanists are calling for international support in protesting a proposed new anti-gay law that would introduce extraordinarily harsh punishments, including the death penalty for homosexual acts and prison for family who fail to inform the authorities of homosexual relatives.

The Gay and Lesbian Humanist Association (GALHA) strongly supports the demonstrations held in Rome last weekend, 18th October, 2009,protesting against the refusal of the Italian Parliament to pass laws protecting people physically victimised because of their sexual orientation.

Members of humanist organizations from around the world represented at the Congress/General Assembly of the International Humanist and Ethical Union, January 1999, in Mumbai (India), express as their opinion the following:

RECALLING

* policy statement IHEU-Board 1994
* resolution IHEU-Congress 1992 Amsterdam (The Netherlands)
* IHEU-motion to the Council of Europe NGO-meeting 1990
* resolution IHEU-Congress 1988 Buffalo (New York, USA)

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: