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At the heart of a vibrant global humanist community Annual Report 2018

Contents

Foreword 2

Introduction 3

The Objectives of Humanists International 4

Global highlights 6

Our people 10

Key figures in 2018 12

Highlights 14

Successful and sustainable Member Organizations in every part of the world 18

Member Organizations which are networked together as a coordinated global movement 22

International and regional government policies are shaped by our policy agenda 26

Sufficient reputation, financial and human resources, and administrative effectiveness to achieve our goals 33

CONTENTS 1 Foreword 2018 was an extraordinary year of change for Humanists International

We began to see the results of our decision in recent global south, but also to more organizations which years to invest more resources into supporting the are more established but could stand to benefit growth and development of humanism in the global greatly from being helped to reach the “next step” south and also to make our central organization more of their development. We want to do what we can representative of global diversity. This was a very to share good practice, and source new training and welcome development, a strong personal mission for support options for all our members. me, and is thanks to the generosity of our Member I would like to take this opportunity to thank you Organizations, supporters and donors. all for your support of Humanists International. Meanwhile, behind the scenes, we were working to Thank you, prepare the organization for its change in name, a full re-brand, and a new website built from the ground up to serve the needs of Humanists International and our members. Andrew Copson In 2018 our General Assembly took a stand against President the politics of division that we see spreading around the world. This carefully crafted resolution was over two years in the making, to set our a thoughtful and considered way forward for humanist organizations. You can read more about this on page 9 of this report. “In 2018 our General With the spread of partisan media and social media Assembly took a stand manipulation, the rise of a violent new right-wing extremism, and nationalist politics around the world - against the politics of humanism is needed more now than ever before. division that we see Looking to the future, the Board will be looking to widen the support it offers to humanist organizations, spreading around to include not just developing organizations in the the world.”

2 FOREWORD Humanists International Annual Report 2018 Introduction A year of strong growth and key achievements

In 2018 a significant focus was placed on fundraising: In particular we saw excellent progress on our we have to ensure that the finances of Humanists advocacy programme, reestablishing our presence International are stable, diverse and secure for the at the African Commission on Human and Peoples’ future. In 2018 we worked to increase the income we Rights after many years. We also saw the highest receive from individual donors, and organizations, in number of new Member Organizations in any year addition to the valuable funds we receive from our previously, with 23 new members of our international Member Organizations. family. Our Humanists At Risk campaign helped us raise £20,000 to support over 60 individuals at risk of I’m very pleased to say that this year we have taken persecution around the world. important steps towards realising this goal. 2018 saw us increase our income by over 17% on the the I would like to thank all my colleagues, the Board and previous year. This is to be celebrated, but we must our wonderful volunteers for all their hard work! ensure this continues, so that we can plan effectively for the future. Thank you, I’m sure you will agree with me that one of the most visible changes within the global humanist movement in recent times was the launch of our new branding early in 2019, for which a great deal of work was Gary McLelland done throughout the past year. This is an exciting, Chief Executive welcoming and energetic new brand, and I’m sure you will agree with me that this is a much better fit for our organization. This report will give you a helpful overview of our main activities in 2018, and give you a flavour of exciting things to come.

INTRODUCTION 3 The Objectives of Humanists International

4 THE OBJECTIVES OF HUMANISTS INTERNATIONAL Humanists International Annual Report 2018 Since 1952, Humanists We want everyone We work to build, International has been to live a life of dignity support and represent the global representative in a world where the global humanist body of the humanist universal human rights movement, defending movement, uniting a are respected and human rights, particularly diversity of non-religious protected, and those of non-religious organizations and where states people, and promoting individuals. uphold secularism. humanist values worldwide.

5 Global Highlights

“Humanists International members and supporters in Ireland were vocal in supporting the “YES” campaign”

6 GLOBAL HIGHLIGHTS Humanists International Annual Report 2018 Ireland removed Growing global Celebrating a decade of ‘blasphemy’ law Support for ending Humanism in Denmark from constitution blasphemy laws In October Humanists International President, Andrew Copson, was a special guest a celebration Humanists International members and The good news from Ireland follows a similar dinner organized to celebrate the 10 year anniversary supporters in Ireland were vocal in supporting campaign in Canada, where in 2018 British of the Danish Humanist Association. the “YES” campaign to remove “blasphemy” Columbia Humanist Association and other free from the constitution in a much-anticipated speech activists successfully pushed for the country Since its founding in 2008, the Danish Humanist referendum. Member organization Atheist to repeal “blasphemous libel”. At the end of the Association has made significant achievements. From Ireland in particular had campaigned for the years similar legislation was pending in New Zealand, establishing an increasingly popular programme of change for many years, making the case, where in August 2018 our members Humanist NZ humanist ceremonies, to becoming a serious voice lobbying the government, and highlighting the had organized a parliamentary event highlighting within Danish politics and society. anachronism and injustice of “blasphemy” laws the international concerns around the country’s One of the organizations major international internationally. Victory was declared on 28 “blasphemy” law. achievements was its successful campaign to repeal October 2019. Humanists International has worked via the its blasphemy law in 2017. This was supported by the End Blasphemy Laws campaign to support all the Humanists International. hmnts.in/victory-ireland organizations campaigning for repeal, and since 2015 there have been “blasphemy” laws abolished in Malta, Norway, Alsace-Lorraine in France, and Iceland.

7 First Latin American Freethinkers Meeting

The conference took place from 24-26 May. Three days of presentations and workshops, with 5 main panels on Secularism, Critical Thinking, Pseudosciences, Gender Equality, and other humanist themes: the whole meeting was live-streamed on the Facebook page of the Encuentro, thanks to the funding of a Humanist Regional Hub grant from Humanists International. The presentation of the Growth & Development Officer of Humanists International was entitled “¡Viva el Humanismo! Humanists International y el crecimiento del movimiento humanista global” Asian Humanist (“Long life to Humanism! Humanists International conference and the growth of the global humanist movement”). The Growth & Development Officer spoke about Humanists from across Asia came together in what is humanism, Humanists International’s work Kaohsiung, Taiwan for the 2018 Asian Humanism to grow the humanist movement around the world, Conference (29 - 30 December, 2018) under the and the different challenges faces from our Member auspices of our youth section, now known as Organizations in different parts of the world. Young Humanists International.

Representatives from India, Malaysia, Philippines, Singapore, as well as Taiwan, participated in a series of lectures and workshops designed to help the various local groups shape their strategic goals and collaborate on regional efforts “to combat dogmatism and willful ignorance in an era of identity politics and fake news”.

hmnts.in/asia-2018

8 GLOBAL HIGHLIGHTS Humanists International Annual Report 2018 Humanists International General Assembly

Members of the humanist and rationalist community in New Zealand and delegates from humanist organizations around the world met together in For a full report on these events see: hmnts.in/ga-2018 Auckland, New Zealand in August, attending our annual General Assembly and a conference organized by Humanist NZ, and the Rationalist and Humanist Association. The programme of events included a meeting in the parliament in Wellington where participants urged the government to scrap New Zealand’s “blasphemy” law; a long-awaited bill has since come before representatives and been passed, finally repealing “blasphemy” for the first time in the country’s modern history. At the public conference in Auckland on Saturday, we heard from speakers including Te Henare on how “there’s no Māori word for ‘atheist’”, Gulalai Ismal spoke on “How Humanism can help us counter violent extremism”, Andrew Copson spoke on the non- religious arguments against secularism and how they can be answered, Jackie Clark on her organization The Aunties working with vulnerable women in New Zealand, and Max Wallace and Kim Stainton on religion and secularization in the Pacific islands. As ever, the coming-together of humanists from around the world for our General Assembly meant an influx of new faces and ideas for the local humanist scene, an opportunity which was seized upon with great enthusiasm by our Kiwi colleagues, who hosted a professional and varied conference, who coped with the usual – and not so usual – challenges of international relations with great resourcefulness and alacrity, and who organized a tremendous cultural tour for those able to participate.

9 Our people

Our Board

President: Becky Hale Uttam Niraula Andrew Copson United States of Nepal United Kingdom America

Vice-president: Gulalai Ismail David Pineda Anne-France Pakistan Guatemala Ketelaer Belgium

Treasurer: Kristin Mile Rein Zunderdorp Boris van der Norway Netherlands Ham From 5 August 2018 Until 5 August 2018 Netherlands

From 5 August 2018

Treasurer: Kato Mukasa Roar Johnsen Uganda Norway Until 5 August 2018

10 OUR PEOPLE Humanists International Annual Report 2018 Our Staff Team Volunteers

Chief Executive: UN, Geneva: Research: Gary McLelland Kacem El Elisa Conti Ghazzali

Director of UN, New York: Advocacy: Communications John Wagner Tars van & Campaigns: Litsenborgh Bob Churchill

Director of UN, New York: Advocacy: Advocacy: Margaretha Alexandra Elizabeth O’Casey Jones Militz

Growth & Council of Europe: Advocacy: Development Renate Bauer Eline Labey Officer: Giovanni Gaetani

11 Key figures ! in 2018 60 23 Advised or directly supported 60 We delivered 23 statements individuals who were at the United Nations 54 in serious risk of 54 delegates at our General persecution Assembly in New Zealand 20 £20,000 +40% 20 European Union Foreign Raised over £20,000 GBP to Gained over 40% on our Oﬃce staﬀ trained on Freedom support our work protecting Facebook followers (rising of Religion or Belief by humanists at risk from 22.8K to 32.1K by the Humanists International £13,400 end of the year) 23 150 23 new Member Organizations £13,400 GBP given out in grants to Over 150 people took part in the help support individual humanists 8 Café Humaniste events funded and organizations by Humanists International

12 KEY FIGURES IN 2018 Humanists International Annual Report 2018 ! 60 23 Advised or directly supported 60 We delivered 23 statements individuals who were at the United Nations 54 in serious risk of 54 delegates at our General persecution Assembly in New Zealand 20 £20,000 +40% 20 European Union Foreign Raised over £20,000 GBP to Gained over 40% on our Oﬃce staﬀ trained on Freedom support our work protecting Facebook followers (rising of Religion or Belief by humanists at risk from 22.8K to 32.1K by the Humanists International £13,400 end of the year) 23 150 23 new Member Organizations £13,400 GBP given out in grants to Over 150 people took part in the help support individual humanists 8 Café Humaniste events funded and organizations by Humanists International

13 Highlights

Rebranding

In February 2019 we launched the new name for our A special announcement video with the tagline “We’re organization: “Humanists International”, complete with evolving” was prepared in-house and was seen by a new brand and a new website. Messages received 158,000 people on Facebook alone. All traffic to from members, supporters, and the general public iheu.org is transferring through to our new domain via social channels and email, were almost universally at humanists.international, and the new website positive. We hope this demonstrates the importance announces the change of name to first-time visitors. of the active consultations with all members and Based on enquiries into the office, members and stakeholders that had taken place since the 2016 supporters were well-prepared: there has been very General Assembly in Malta and the years in between. little confusion about the name-change, so we think In 2018 we completed consultation on our positioning this was time well-spent and well-planned. and approach to the rebrand and began working with a graphic designer to develop our new logo and the wider brand. We then worked with a web design company to translate the content from the old website into a form which would highlight the new brand and provide new functionality.

14 HIGHLIGHTS Humanists International Annual Report 2018 African Commission

2018 saw a return to the African Commission on Human and Peoples’ Rights for Humanists International. We last had representation there, by Leo Igwe, over ten years ago. This year, the Director of Advocacy travelled to Nouakchott in Mauritania for the spring session of the Commission. Whilst there she was able to deliver a statement to the conference, meet with the lawyers of Mohamed Mkheitir, the anti-slavery writer imprisoned in Mauritania, and raise awareness of the ongoing slavery in the country. In 2019, we plan to return and continue highlighting humanist concerns on the continent.

Ahmad Al Shamri case

Another case we have sought to highlight is that of Ahmad Al Shamri, whose death sentence reportedly for “atheism” was upheld by the highest court in Saudi Arabia in 2018. In September 2018 we issued a “call to action” (hmnts.in/ahmad) to all members and supporters on the case, providing pro forma text for national organizations to approach their Saudi embassies. We raised the case multiple times at the Human Rights Council in Geneva and with the Foreign and Commonwealth Office in the UK

15 Challenging hatred

and division The Auckland Declaration against In 2018 we worked with members and a drafting the Politics of Division: committee to produce The Auckland Declaration The right of all people to participate in the Against the Politics of Division. It discusses the government of their society has been a foundation threat from rising populism, nationalism, and the of human freedom and happiness wherever it has demonization of minorities, across all regions of existed. We are fortunate to live in a world in which, the world. Members approved the resolution at through the efforts of humanists as well as religious the General Assembly in 2018. Inadvertently, the believers, democracy is widely recognised as being the resolution spoke to many of the issues discussed most just, rational, and effective form of governance in the aftermath of the Christchurch mosque available to humanity. Today, more people than ever massacres in March 2019, and we believe it is before have the ability to shape the political direction important that we carry the mandate of The of the community in which they live. Auckland Declaration through to our work in 2019: However, wherever there is democracy, there is to increase our focus on the kind always the risk of its abuse by demagogues, who seek of incitement to hatred, white to exploit the genuine grievances of sections of the population by misdirecting blame onto unpopular nationalism and anti-immigrant minorities, which may include pre-existing and rhetoric that divides communities competing political groups who are maligned as and in extremes leads to hate “elites”. Demagogues frequently employ intolerant crimes and atrocities. forms of nationalism as well as other forms of prejudice and hatred. Their rhetoric appeals to negative emotions rather than to empathy and reason.

16 HIGHLIGHTS Humanists International Annual Report 2018 This politics of division is resurgent in many parts of minimum standard for all democracies. The human economic stability, the environment, and social the world. It is exemplified in a new generation of rights of minorities, not just majorities, must be protection. These problems should be addressed so-called “strong men” politicians, who purport to upheld and protected. Freedom of expression must by individuals, non-government organizations, stand up for popular interests, but who are eager to include the right to openly criticize political parties, governments, and international organizations. diminish human rights and disregard minorities in leaders, and policies. As well as voting positively for We reject the politics of division and call on all order to gain and retain power for their own ends. representatives, democracy must respect the value politicians and citizens to reject the over-simplified They are a present threat to human dignity, the rule of a free press and include systems of transparency, policy-making and rhetoric which characterize it and of law, human rights, and freedom globally. accountability, and the capacity for the people to to recognise the damage to humanity that divisive criticise and peacefully replace failing and unpopular Against this tendency, we affirm: politics can cause. governments. The best ethical foundation from which to We commit ourselves to addressing the social causes Democracies can thrive only in a culture of approach the problems of today’s world and of the politics of division: social inequality, a lack of open debate. Debate and rational inquiry should the future of us all is to try to see humanity respect for human rights, popular misconceptions seek to settle disagreements in a peaceful and as one global community. The greatest about the nature of democracy, and a lack of global tolerant manner. achievements of human progress and solidarity solidarity; and we call upon our member organizations can be won by rejecting the politics of xenophobia Today’s problems are more complex than ever and all humanists to join us in this work. and tribalism and instead working together for the before. Any politician claiming to have easy answers We urge humanists internationally to uphold common good. to them must be subjected to great scrutiny. and advocate the values of democracy, rule of Democracy is much more than a periodic Across the world the speed of human progress law, equality, and human rights, and to identify opportunity to vote. For democracy to flourish is accelerating but the fruits of human progress and resist the politics of division wherever they it must be underpinned by the rule of law and the are not being evenly enjoyed. Infant mortality is see it in their own nations and internationally. principle of equality under the law for all. Respect declining, life expectancy and income are increasing General Assembly, Auckland, 2018 for human rights as defined in The Universal but many are still in poverty in a world of plenty. Too Declaration of Human Rights of 1948, including often, human rights are violated, there is insecurity, the right to freedom of expression, should be a and in many countries there are new threats to

17 DK 1 SE Successful and sustainable 1 LU 1 FO Member Organizations in 1 NO 4 NL FI 5 2 New members in 2018: AT every part of IE 1 RU 2 PL 2 1. Advocates Abroad (USA) BE 1 2. Alliance for Secular Nigeria (Nigeria) 2 the world HR UK 1 3. Arab Humanists (UK/Egypt) CA 8 21 CY 8 1 4. Association for Humanism (Spain) DE 4 5. Association for Republicanism SK 1 and Secularism (Portugal) IS 1 6. Bavarian Humanist Association (Germany) RO 3 7. Botswana Humanist Society (Botswana) FR State of membership 3 8. East London Humanist (United Kingdom) CH 1 At the end of 2018, Humanists International’s 9. Freedom Centre Uganda (Uganda) ES RS ratified membership was: 10. Freedom From Religion Foundation (United States) 1 1 US 11. House of Secularism of Kinshasa 15 CZ PT 1 GR IL IR (Democratic Republic of Congo) 1 1 1 NP 2 Full Member 1 12. Iranian Humanistic and Ethical Committee (Iran) IT PK MX HT 3 3 13. Kasese Freethinkers Club (Uganda) 1 1 UG Organizations: 34 GT MT 8 PH 14. Kazimierz Lyszczynski Foundation (Poland) 1 PR 1 2 2 2 CR IN 15. Malaysian Atheists & Secular Humanists (Malaysia) GH 1 KE 15 1 Specialist Member 16. Malcolm Childrens’ Foundation (Uganda) SR 2 MY CO 1 LK 1 2 1 17. Mexican Humanists (Mexico) NG 5 CD ID Organizations: 9 18. Rationalist Assn of New South Wales in Sydney 1 RW SG 2 1 1 (Australia) TZ 19. Rwanda Humanist Association (Rwanda) PE 1 Associate Member 4 BW 20. Sandya Institute (Indonesia) 1 BI 1 21. Secular Action (Chile) Organizations: 123 BR MW 22. Secular Humanism in Costa Rica (Costa Rica) 1 1 ZW 23. Secular Humanist Association Humans (Serbia) CL 1 AU 1 3 NZ Total: 166 ZA 3 2

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18 SUCCESSFUL AND SUSTAINABLE MEMBER ORGANIZATIONS IN EVERY PART OF THE WORLD Humanists International Annual Report 2018 DK 1 SE 1 Countries with Member LU Organizations 1 FO 1 NO 4 Countries with new Member NL FI 5 2 Organizations in 2018 AT IE 1 RU 2 PL 2 BE 1 2 HR UK 1 CA 8 21 CY 8 1 DE 4 SK 1 IS 1 RO 3

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19 Growth and Development support

Café Humaniste “ In 2018 Humanists Café Humaniste is an event series conceived and organised by Humanists International, bringing people International together to discuss questions of interest and concern organized eight to humanists, wherever they are from. The events are organised by Humanists International events in the Café in collaboration with local Member Organizations in countries all over the world. Humanists International Humaniste series…” provides financial and media support while the local organization manages the logistics for the event itself. In 2018 Humanists International organized eight events in the Café Humaniste series, in collaboration Suriname – 19 January with its national and local Member Organizations. The Human rights and transgender issues total budget for 2018 was £2400. Here is the list of events and the respective themes: Philippines – 10 March Humanism and Science Kenya – 17 March Freedom of belief or religious freedom? Philippines – 24 March Humanism through Arts Philippines – 7 April Book launch: “From Superstition to Reason: A Journey Towards Humanism” Uganda – 20 April Secularism in Africa Nigeria – 9 June The humanist case for peace and tolerance Nigeria – 7 July Superstition in Nigeria

20 SUCCESSFUL AND SUSTAINABLE MEMBER ORGANIZATIONS IN EVERY PART OF THE WORLD Humanists International Annual Report 2018 Growth and Development support

Regional Development Grants Travel grants to the General Assembly We awarded five travel grants for a total of £5,050 to help representatives of our Member Organizations to In 2018 we awarded 5 attend the General Assembly in Auckland, New Zealand, on 3-5 August 2018. grants for a total of £4,000 The representatives that attended the General Assembly with the help of our travel grants are the following:

£1500 to Urban House Suriname for a social media campaign to spread the meaning of humanism in Suriname. The campaign, callled #Humancohesiesuriname, was successfully launched on 1 March 2019. Namyalo Viola – Ramdeo Shymal Sagar Alvin John C. Iaroslav Golovin - HALEA Uganda Vishwabandhu Kumar – Pacific Ballares HAPI Russian Humanist £800 awarded to HAPI (the Humanist Alliance (Uganda) – Ambedkar Social Island Secular (Philippines) Society (Russia) Philippines, International) to help members of Institute (India) Association (Fiji) HAPI to attend the General Assembly. The travel grants were successfully allocated to six individual members of HAPI. £700 to the Freethinkers Association of “How to” guides Arequipa for the professional recording and Having published “How to start a humanist live streaming of the Latin American Freethinkers organization” (hmnts.in/how-to-one) the Meeting. All videos are available on the YouTube previous year, in 2018 we published the second channel of the Meeting. part of our guide for member organizations, this £500 to Malawi Association for Secular time on “How to run a humanist organization” Humanism (ASH) for the creation of a new website (hmnts.in/how-to-two). and the production of brochures and leaflets on Both parts of the guide are designed to further Humanism in English and Chichewa. the ongoing development of the global humanist £500 to the Humanist Association of Ghana movement. They are conceived both for newer to run a multi-level Critical Thinking project in humanist organizations, and also for larger or collaboration with its major partner Learning well-established humanist organizations that Support Solution. could take inspiration from the many practical examples included.

21 Member Organizations Welcoming new organizations which are networked We welcomed the Bavarian Humanist Association, together as a In 2018 we welcomed one of the largest humanist organizations in Germany with 2,100 individual supporters, into the international operating various schools, kindergarten, student coordinated movement 22 new houses, and humanist counselling centers. global movement In Chile we welcomed our first humanist Member Organizations organization, Secular Action, a group of secularist activists campaigning mainly for the separation of Nine of these are in countries with no existing State and Church and the promotion of a secular, members, namely: neutral and non-confessional education in all Chile public schools. Costa Rica In Malaysia, where Humanists International had Democratic Republic of Congo no previous Member Organizations, we welcomed the Malaysian Atheists & Secular Humanists, a new Malaysia organization focused on advocacy for freedom Mexico of religion or belief, education and promotion of Poland humanist values as well as educational, outreach Portugal and community activities for the betterment of society, guided by the principles of humanism. Rwanda Serbia In the Democratic Republic of Congo we welcomed the House of Secularism of Kinshasa, Amongst the largest organizations welcomed in 2018 an organization working for the promotion of the was the Freedom From Religion Foundation, which secular worldview in the country. The group already has an astonishing record of legal victories in favour has a deep relationship with our two Belgian of the separation of state and church in the United Member Organizations, demens.nu and the States, with more than 85 First Amendment lawsuits Centre d’Action Laïque. since 1977.

22 SUCCESSFUL AND SUSTAINABLE MEMBER ORGANIZATIONS IN EVERY PART OF THE WORLD Humanists International Annual Report 2018 To the good people of Ireland,

Member Organizations We are human rights activists, writers, and campaigners for equality, and committed to freedom and peace. We have all been threatened with fines, imprisonment, torture, or death for which are networked “blasphemy” in our countries. In some cases, our friends, family, and colleagues have been brutally murdered. We know that our plight may seem distant to your daily concerns but it is linked. together as a It makes all our work that bit more difficult when western democratic countries maintain laws that criminalize debate, satire and criticism concerning religious beliefs. The existence of blasphemy laws in European democracies like yours gives cover and support to the laws under coordinated which we are persecuted around the world. At the same time it lends false legitimacy to the extremists who claim that “blasphemy” is a sin which warrants intimidation and murder. global movement “Blasphemy” laws are not hate speech laws and can never work that way. That’s because “blasphemy” laws always potentially criminalize legitimate free expression about religious Irish blasphemy beliefs, practices, institutions or representatives; expression which is often morally necessary.

You have the opportunity to send a clear signal to the global family of nations that campaign “blasphemy” laws contravene the human rights to freedom of thought and freedom of expression and should be repealed. In 2018 we supported the campaign to repeal We appeal to you from our hearts to seize this opportunity, in solidarity with all those people a requirement in the Irish constitution that from around the world – religious and non-religious alike – who are persecuted under the country must criminalize “blasphemy”. We “blasphemy” accusations.

worked with Atheist Ireland to coordinate a Signatories:

letter from more than 20 people accused of Alexander Aan, Indonesia “blasphemy” in various countries, which was then Bonya Ahmed, Bangladesh (now United States) Azam Khan, Bangladesh Choity Ahmed, Bangladesh (now Germany) published as an open letter in the Sunday Times Filippos Loizos, Greece Rana Ahmed, Saudi Arabia (now Germany) of Ireland, and our Chief Executive spoke at the Asif Mohiuddin, Bangladesh (now Germany) Waleed Al-Housseini, Palestine (now France) Taslima Nasrin, Bangladesh (now India) humanist conference in Carlingford, Ireland, Mubarak Bala, Nigeria Alber Saber, Egypt (now abroad) rallying activists to ensure that the referendum Ahmedur Rashid Chowdhury, Bangladesh Mohamed Salih, Sudan (now Uganda) (now Norway) went the right way. Working with members in Prithu Sanyal, Bangladesh (now Germany) Kacem El Ghazzali, Morocco this way helps them to emphasize in their own R A Sattar, Pakistan (now New Zealand) (now Switzerland) Amed Sherwan, Iraq (now Germany) campaign – for the public and for lawmakers – Ensaf Haidar, Saudi Arabia (now Canada) Thessalonika Pride, organizing committee, the “international” arguments in their favour: in Fauzia Ilyas, Pakistan (now Netherlands) Greece Gulalai Ismail, Pakistan particular, about the dangerous precedents for Malaysian Atheists and Secular Siti Kasim, Malaysia freedom of expression that such laws set on the Humanists, Malaysia world stage, and how embarrassing it should be for the country if the referendum was to fail.

The campaign was successful: hmnts.in/victory-ireland

23 Strengthening ties with humanists in Latin America

Our Growth and Development Officer visited four Latin American countries from 18-30 May. He attended 5 conferences, including the First Latin American Freethinkers Meeting held in Arequipa (Peru) from 24-26 May. During the visit he met hundreds of secular activists in Guatemala, Colombia, Peru and Chile and he had the opportunity to meet almost all Humanists International Member Organizations in the region. He also took the opportunity to invite new groups to join our international family and to implement to the fullest Humanists Interna tional’s mission: to promote humanism, to support and connect humanists, and to represent the humanist movement internationally.

His report on the visit is at: hmnts.in/latam-trip Showcasing humanism in India and Nepal

Early in 2018, the Director of Advocacy and the Chief Executive made a trip to India at the invitation of the organizers of the World Atheist Conference. This was also a fantastic opportunity for us to renew and strengthen the relationships with our members all across India. Humanism has an ancient and fascinating history in the region. Over the course of their two week visit, they met with humanist and human rights campaigners all across india, as well as meeting with humanist colleagues in Nepal.

You can read more about their trip here: hmnts.in/india-nepal

24 MEMBER ORGANIZATIONS WHICH ARE NETWORKED TOGETHER AS A COORDINATED GLOBAL MOVEMENT Humanists International Annual Report 2018 Young Humanists Consultation on International the European

Alongside the Humanists International General Secularity Index Assembly in Auckland, August 2019, our youth section met, representing the work and interests Based on his work with the Humanists International of the young humanist organizations around the Freedom of Thought Report, our Director of world. Delegates at the youth GA — the last at which Communications & Campaigns, Bob Churchill, was they would be known as the International Humanist invited to participate in an advisory capacity in a and Ethical Youth Organization (IHEYO) — young committee session for the European Humanist delegates finalized procedures for the unification of Federation’s upcoming Secularity Index, which will IHEYO membership with the parent body. Elections focus on state attitudes to religion or belief in Europe. were held for various posts, including the re-election of youth section president Marieke Prien. Elected officers discussed with the rest of the membership the goals and strategies of the youth section, as well considering the impact of re-naming and re-branding. A new grants programme facilitated by Humanists International to enable humanist work with young people was established. Delegates discussed the next Asian Humanist Conference which would take place in December 2019. And delegates decided to implement a new Instagram account for the youth section. “ A new grants programme facilitated by Humanists International to enable humanist work with young people was established.”

25 International and regional government policies are shaped by our policy agenda

26 INTERNATIONAL AND REGIONAL GOVERNMENT POLICIES ARE SHAPED BY OUR POLICY AGENDA Humanists International Annual Report 2018 US Withdrawal from the UN Human Rights Council UN Human Rights Council As many will be aware, 2018 saw the USA leave the In 2018, Humanists International was present at all We also joined a coalition of NGOs calling on UN Human Rights Council; Humanists International sessions of the United Nations Human Rights Council. Member States of the United Nations not to was embroiled in its exit when then-US-Ambassador, We continued to lobby on relevant resolutions, meet grant membership of the Human Rights Council Nikki Haley blamed Humanists International and a with decision makers and other stakeholders and to states which are “unfit” due to their record on number of other NGOs for their leaving. Humanists raise human rights cases of concern. human rights and international cooperation: International was part of a group of NGOs, which hmnts.in/un-unfit included Amnesty International and Human Rights In total the team delivered 18 oral statements – some Watch, who had lobbied against a US-led resolution of them in Arabic – and five written statements. The The Director of Advocacy spoke on three panels to reduce the role for civil society organizations at subjects of statements included: freedom of thought in Geneva and organized a side event. In March the United Nations through a process of ‘efficiency and belief; freedom of expression and assembly; anti- she spoke on a panel at an event organized by savings.’ Following the US decision to withdraw from apostasy and anti-blasphemy laws; LGBTI equality; the EU mission, which focussed on a report by the Human Rights Council, we received a letter from sexual and reproductive and health and rights; the UN Special Rapporteur on Religion or Belief; Haley accusing Humanists International of trying to harmful traditional practices; and “witchcraft” related in June, she was a panellist at a side-event on the “undermine [the US’] attempts to improve the Human abuse. Countries covered included Iran, Pakistan, UN Faith for Rights Initiative. In September, the Rights Council,” and being “on the side of Russia Nepal, Guatemala, Russia, Bangladesh, Nigeria, India, Director of Advocacy spoke on a panel as part and China, and opposite the United States, on a key Venezuela, Mauritania, Egypt, Saudi Arabia, Botswana, of a two-day expert meeting on witchcraft- human rights issue.” As an organization, Humanists Tanzania, Ireland, Paraguay, Ghana, and the Vatican. related abuse. International has always supported multilateralism For a number of these country statements, the Whilst in Geneva for the June session, the and the vision of the United Nations. This does not advocacy team worked with Member Organizations Director of Advocacy also attended the UN mean we are an uncritical friend. Indeed, there are to draft the statements and deliver them jointly: Human Rights Committee examination of legitimate criticisms of the UN Human Rights Council Atheist & Agnostic Alliance Pakistan, Ex-blogger from Norway and spoke at the pre-hearing briefing and other bodies, which we have voiced ourselves Bangladesh, Guatemalan Humanists, Humanist on behalf of the Norwegian Humanist Association. vociferously since its inception and have also shared Association of Nigeria, Federation of Indian Rationalist She was following up submissions the Norwegians some of the US concerns publicly. However, we Associations, Russian Humanist Society, Society had made to the committee concerning human believe it is vital that states continue to engage with for Humanism Nepal. Humanists International also rights issues around the constitutionally the process and support what is currently the only made joint statements with other NGOs including, established religion in the Country. international forum engaging states that exists to International Federation for Human Rights, Sexual promote and protect human rights globally. Rights Initiative, and Center for Reproductive Rights, Freedom Now, and Pen International. You can read more here: hmnts.in/us-withdraw

27 At the United Nations in New York

Humanists International has continued to monitor and engage with the United Nations in New York. In October, the Director of Advocacy Elizabeth O’Casey and our volunteer representative, John Wagner, attended sessions of the Third Committee of the UN General Assembly and side meetings. Those meetings included a meeting with Knox Thames, Special Advisor for Religious Minorities in the Near East and South/Central Asia at the U.S. Department against Gun Violence with the Mission of Liberia, of State, and meetings with UN Special Rapporteur and whose speakers included Director of the office in the field of cultural rights; UN Special Rapporteur of the High Commissioner for Human Rights in on minority issues; and UN Special Rapporteur for New York, the Former Ambassador of the Mission freedom of religion or belief. of Sierra Leone to the UN, and Chief of the Global Partnership to End Violence Against Children 2018 also saw Humanists International continue its at UNICEF. engagement with the UN mandate on Cultural Rights as well as aiming to ensure humanist organizations Our volunteer representative Margaretha Jones understand the importance of these rights for our was elected as treasurer for the ‘Conference of community. Following an excellent report on the NGOs in Consultative Relationship with the UN’ and impact of fundamentalism and extremism on the for the ‘Commission on the Status of Women NGO cultural rights of women, this year the UN Special Committee’, and she remains active in the UN NGO Rapporteur in the Field of Cultural Rights, Dr Karima Committee on the Rights of the Child. John Wagner Bennoune, wrote a report on the need to defend was elected as a bureau member of the ‘UN NGO our universal right to artistic, and cultural expression Committee on the right to Freedom of Religion or and scientific inquiry whilst ensuring culture is Belief’ in New York. not misused to undermine other human rights. As part of Humanists International’s role in the Humanists International helped organize a panel UN Fez Plan of Action, the Director of Advocacy discussion that included the Dr Bennoune and attended a three-day conference. We were the Nobel prize laureate, Wole Soyinka. only specifically non-religious participant. She Other events that Humanists International helped was also invited to become a member of the organize in New York this year included a concert Global Steering Committee for the UN Fez celebrating the 70th anniversary of the Universal Plan of Action. She is one of 11 individuals Declaration of Human Rights and an event on Youth on the Committee.

28 INTERNATIONAL AND REGIONAL GOVERNMENT POLICIES ARE SHAPED BY OUR POLICY AGENDA Humanists International Annual Report 2018 At the African Commission on Human and Peoples’ Rights

2018 saw Humanists International re-establish its Humanists International was also part of a NGO presence at the African Commission on Human network working on the case of Cheikh Ould and Peoples’ Rights. hmnts.in/achpr Mohamed M’kheitir, held since 2014 on charges of blasphemy and apostasy for protesting the For its spring session, the Commission met in religious justification of slavery in Mauritania. Having Nouakchott Mauritania, and Humanists International’s highlighted the case in Geneva and in the Freedom Director of Advocacy attended. Whilst there, she of Thought Report since 2014, and having previously made a statement reaffirming a core advocacy participated in diplomatic meetings about the case, in message of Humanists International: Tradition, 2019 we also joined letter to Emmanuel Macron and Culture and Religion cannot be instrumentalized to to the African Commission calling for his release and undermine universal human rights. The statement a reversal of a recently introduced law making the partly provided an overview of concerns that death penalty compulsory for blasphemy crimes. Humanists International and its members have in the region in terms of human rights, and provided a specific response to a growing movement by states at the African Union to shrink the space of civil society observers at the Commission by using the notion of African traditions and cultures to reject the status of LGBTI NGOs and other groups. The Director of Advocacy also took the opportunity of being in Mauritania to meet with the lawyers of Mohamed MKheitir (the anti-slavery writer in prison on apostasy charges on whose behalf we have advocated for many years). She liaised with the UN Special Rapporteur on Cultural Rights and provided her with information from the lawyers and concerned NGOs so that a group of UN Special Rapporteurs could make a public statement on the case. Whilst in Mauritania, the Director of Advocacy also met with a journalist and anti-slavery activist and attended a two-day NGO forum.

29 At the Organization for At the Council Security and Co-operation of Europe

Humanists International continued its presence Alongside the Parliamentary Assembly meetings at the Human Dimension Implementation Meeting of the Council of Europe in January, Humanists of the Organization of Security and Cooperation International jointly organized a lunch briefing with in Europe this year. Whilst in Warsaw for it, we International Planned Parenthood Federation, delivered statements on blasphemy laws (with a European Humanist Federation and the European specific call to Ireland), LGBTI Rights and the Holy Parliamentary Forum on Population & Development See (Vatican), and freedom of the media. on the issue of sexual and reproductive health and rights. Volunteer representative Renate Bauer participated in the meeting and also got a German Member of the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe, Doris Barnet, to attend.

Work with the European Union

In cooperation with the European Humanist element of Freedom of Religion or Belief, as well as Federation we made a written submission on the on UN mechanisms and initiatives to help promote implementation of the European Union Guidelines freedom of expression along with tackling on promoting Freedom of Religion or Belief outside intolerance and violations of the right to Freedom Europe. One of the recommendations included of Religion or Belief. better linking the European Union country-based Humanists International joined the European delegations with Humanists International Member Artificial Intelligence Alliance, a private alliance Organizations. which is aimed at a mobilisation of a diverse set Humanists International was part of a team which of participants working on issues relating to provided a two-day training course organized by the Artificial Intelligence. EU’s External Action Service for representatives and staff working in the field on human rights cases and issues and desk officers in Brussels. The Director of Advocacy gave training specifically on the “belief”

30 INTERNATIONAL AND REGIONAL GOVERNMENT POLICIES ARE SHAPED BY OUR POLICY AGENDA Humanists International Annual Report 2018 Freedom of Thought Report 2018

This year on 29 October 2018, we launched our The Freedom of Thought Report examines seventh annual Freedom of Thought Report, with a every country on the rights, legal status, and presentation to coincide with the United Nations discrimination against non-religious people. “The Freedom of Thought General Assembly in New York. At the event, United For the first time, the 2018 edition contained a Nations Special Rapporteur on Freedom of Religion Report has become an performance index, ranking countries according to or Belief, Ahmed Shaheed, said: “The Freedom of how well they performed against the more than 60 invaluable source of Thought Report has become an invaluable source boundary conditions assessed in the report. The of well-researched and important information for report predominantly focuses on forms of legal well-researched and policymakers. The report highlights the range of discrimination across four areas: constitution and discrimination that people can face around the world important information government, education and children’s rights, wider because of their non-religious beliefs, something that society, and values and freedoms. many would like to ignore.” for policymakers.” Continued… Dr Ahmed Shaheed, UN Special Rapporteur Read more here: fot.humanists.international on freedom of religion or belief

31 The focus on rankings opened up significant new media coverage, with news sources in several countries (including The Brussels Times, Malay Mail, TheJournal.ie, Asian Correspondent and others) focusing on how well their own nation performed in the ranking index. We also used the launch of the 2018 edition to call for donations to our Humanists At Risk crowdfunding campaign. A further European launch event was organized by the European Humanist Federation, held at the European Parliament in Brussels. Participants on the panel included the MEPs Sophie In’t Veld and Virginie Rozière, both members of the European Parliament Platform for Secularism in Politics, as well as Dennis de Jong, chair of the European Parliament Intergroup on Freedom of Religion or Belief. The panel also featured two victims of anti-non-religious persecution: Karrar Hamza Al Asfoor, an Iraqi atheist activist who manages one of the largest atheist Facebook groups of his country, explained the social impact of renouncing religion later in life, and how even after having fled to Greece, he is still struggling against Islamist attempts to shut down his atheist Facebook groups. Nacer Amari, a Tunisian human rights activist and co-Founder of Prometheus Europe, told the event that despite its reputation as a secularized Muslim nation, Tunisia still faces numerous issues – as illustrated in the Freedom of Thought Report – including a blasphemy law, state religion, and religious restrictions onholding public office.