Mandatory declaration of religion breaches human rights, says NSS
Posted: Fri, 26 Jun 2020
The National Secular Society has challenged a requirement that parents in Greece must declare their religion on children's birth certificates in an intervention at the European Court of Human Rights.
In Papanikolaou v Greece, the ECHR is considering whether... Read More »
Independent faith schools being allowed to fail children, says NSS
Posted: Thu, 25 Jun 2020
The government is allowing independent faith schools which raise serious concerns to fail inspections repeatedly, the NSS has warned. Read More »
Catholic school heads oppose pluralistic religious education plans
Posted: Wed, 24 Jun 2020
The heads of all 84 Catholic schools in Wales have claimed government plans for reform "strike at the very identity of Catholic schools". Read More »
Nigerian Humanist leader ‘faces charges over insulting religion’
Posted: Wed, 17 Jun 2020
The UK government has said the president of the Humanist Association of Nigeria has been charged over claims he insulted religion. Read More »
Tackle charities promoting ‘conversion therapy’, NSS urges minister
Posted: Wed, 10 Jun 2020
The NSS has urged the government to consider the role of charities as it looks into ways to end anti-gay 'conversion therapy'. Read More »
Ministers take up case of Nigerian Humanist arrested for blasphemy
Posted: Fri, 05 Jun 2020
The government has said it's looking in to the case of the arrested Nigerian Humanist leader Mubarak Bala "on an urgent basis". Read More »
Push government on caste discrimination, NSS tells UN rapporteur
Posted: Fri, 29 May 2020
The NSS has urged the UN special rapporteur on minority issues to push the government to outlaw discrimination on the grounds of 'caste'. Read More »
Schools won’t compromise on relationships education, rabbis tell PM
Posted: Thu, 21 May 2020
Seventeen rabbis have said Charedi Jewish schools won't compromise with government requirements to teach about same-sex couples. Read More »
Regulator opens inquiry into charity which has promoted extremism
Posted: Mon, 18 May 2020
The NSS has welcomed the Charity Commission's decision to open an inquiry into a charity over its funding for the channel Peace TV. Read More »
NSS supports plans to regulate unregistered schools
Posted: Wed, 13 May 2020
The NSS has expressed support for plans to regulate settings providing full-time education and define what a school is in England. Read More »
Review status of charity promoting ‘conversion therapy’, NSS says
Posted: Wed, 13 May 2020
The NSS has urged NI's charity regulator to review the status of an organisation which promotes "change oriented therapy" for gay people. Read More »
Welsh faith schools will have to offer reformed syllabus on religion
Posted: Tue, 05 May 2020
Wales's faith schools will have to offer a non-denominational religion, values and ethics syllabus if parents request it under new plans. Read More »
End faith-based selection to promote fairer admissions, NSS says
Posted: Fri, 01 May 2020
Religious selection in faith schools undermines efforts to improve the socio-economic diversity of schools' intakes, the NSS has said. Read More »
Fears for safety of Nigerian Humanist leader after blasphemy arrest
Posted: Wed, 29 Apr 2020
The president of the Humanist Association of Nigeria has been arrested for blasphemy for a second time, sparking fears for his safety. Read More »
'Religious literacy' drive mustn't erode press freedom, says NSS
Posted: Wed, 29 Apr 2020
Initiatives to improve religious literacy in the media shouldn't be used to shield religions from criticism, the NSS has said. Read More »
NSS welcomes Scottish government proposal to abolish blasphemy law
Posted: Fri, 24 Apr 2020
The NSS has welcomed a proposal from the Scottish government which would abolish the country's blasphemy law. Read More »
NSS launches lecture series on history of secularism
Posted: Thu, 23 Apr 2020
An NSS series of lectures on the history of secularism will air during the current period of lockdown and social distancing. Read More »
Council defends plans to extend selection in Catholic schools
Posted: Wed, 22 Apr 2020
Renfrewshire Council looks set to extend the priority it gives to children who are baptised Catholic for admission to Catholic schools. Read More »
Just 22% of marriages in England & Wales were religious in 2017
Posted: Tue, 14 Apr 2020
The proportion of marriages which are conducted as religious ceremonies has hit a historic low in England and Wales. Read More »
NSS calls for review of religious exemptions in Equality Act
Posted: Wed, 08 Apr 2020
The NSS has called for a review of religious exemptions contained within the Equality Act of 2010 in response to a public consultation. Read More »
