The United Nations Human Rights Council has published two IHEU submissions on Dalit rights and child marriage:

• Dalits, the Caste System and Human Rights: Broken Lives
• Child Marriage: A Violation of Human Rights

Both statements are published here together with the official UN versions.

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.

IHEU's president Roy Brown spoke at the UN Commission on Human Rights on 7 April on behalf of Representative Michele Vincent.

INTERNATIONAL HUMANIST AND ETHICAL UNION
UNION INTERNATIONALE HUMANISTE ET LAIQUE

Statement by Representative Michele VINCENT, Thursday 7 April 2005
Read for her by Main Representative, Roy Brown

INTERNATIONAL HUMANIST AND ETHICAL UNION
UNION INTERNATIONALE HUMANISTE ET LAIQUE

Statement by Representative Rajaji R Babu GOGINENI, Monday 21st March 2005

Commission on Human Rights: 61st Session. (14 March - 22 April 2004)
Racism, Racial Discrimination, Xenophobia and all forms of Discrimination (item 6)

Mr Chairman

IHEU's executive director Babu Gogineni spoke at the UN Commission on Human Rights on 21 March 2005. He called for the appointment of a UN expert commission to examine the plight of lower caste peoples in India, Pakistan, Nepal, Bangladesh and Sri Lanka.

Statement by Representative Rajaji R Babu GOGINENI, Monday 21st March 2005

Humanism requires that nowhere in the world will people be discriminated on the basis of colour, creed, language or religion. But in India the basis of 'varna-jati' system sanctioned by scriptures the majority of the people are condemned as Panchamas. This is the caste system, which is iniquitous and unjust. So it is an obstacle to promoting Humanist development and happiness.