Tags: Equality & Human Rights
LibDem leadership contender calls for secular state
Posted: Wed, 20 May 2015
Tim Farron, one of two candidates for the leadership of the Liberal Democrats, has called for the Church of England to be disestablished and has also expressed his opposition to faith schools. Read More »
'Gay cake' ruling: “no exceptions” to equality laws for religious beliefs
Posted: Tue, 19 May 2015
Belfast County Court has ruled that the Ashers Bakery, run by a Christian family, unlawfully discriminated against a gay customer who ordered a cake featuring a slogan in support of marriage equality. Read More »
Former High Court judge compares secularism to religious repression of the Tudors
Posted: Fri, 15 May 2015
The National Secular Society has strongly rejected the comments of a former High Court judge, who said atheists and secularists exhibit an attitude to "freedom of speech which is as restrictive of that of Elizabeth I or Burghley." Read More »
Christianity has “lost status” because of equality and human rights legislation, say evangelical Christians
Posted: Thu, 12 Mar 2015
An Equality and Human Rights Commission report has found that "some Christian employers, service users and providers" believe Christianity has "lost status" because of equality laws. Read More »
Jewish faith school’s admission policy amounts to “discrimination on the basis of race”
Posted: Thu, 18 Dec 2014
The Office of the Schools Adjudicator has instructed two Jewish faith schools to revise their admissions policies, with one of the schools found to have a policy which amounted to "discrimination on the basis of race." Read More »
New report on UK sharia ‘marriages’ exposes “tip of the iceberg”
Posted: Wed, 10 Dec 2014
A report by a human rights group has exposed the vulnerability of Muslim women living in Islamic 'marriages' in the UK. Read More »
Academic calls for “conscience clauses” for Christians
Posted: Fri, 10 Oct 2014
A Christian academic has called for special "conscience clauses" for Christians in laws of which they do not approve. Read More »
Law Society under growing pressure over sharia wills guidance
Posted: Fri, 19 Sep 2014
Secularists and human rights campaigners have stepped up their calls for the Law Society to withdraw its controversial practice note on sharia succession rules. Read More »
Secularists query decision to reinstate registrar who refused to conduct same-sex weddings
Posted: Tue, 09 Sep 2014
The National Secular Society has criticised a decision by Central Bedfordshire Council to reinstate a Christian registrar who was previously dismissed after refusing to conduct same-sex weddings. Read More »
Labour Party amends equality statement to include non-religious people
Posted: Fri, 15 Aug 2014
The Labour Party has revised its recently-adopted equality statement to cover non-religious people, having previously only referred to 'religion'. Read More »
Equality & Human Rights Commission calls for evidence on religion or belief issues
Posted: Thu, 14 Aug 2014
The Equality and Human Rights Commission has launched a call for evidence from individuals and organisations about how their religion or belief may have affected their experiences in the workplace and in using the services and... Read More »
Labour party equality statement excludes non-religious people
Posted: Thu, 31 Jul 2014
Labour's policy making body – the National Policy Forum – has come under fire for adopting an equality statement appears not to cover non-religious people. Read More »
Equality and Human Rights Commission: gender segregation at campus events “unlawful”
Posted: Mon, 21 Jul 2014
The National Secular Society has welcomed new legal guidance from the Equality and Human Rights Commission clarifying that gender segregation of university and campus events is unlawful. Read More »
Christian bakers in gay campaign cake row could face legal action
Posted: Wed, 09 Jul 2014
A Northern Ireland bakery run by devout Christians could face legal action after it refused to make a cake with a slogan that supported gay marriage. Read More »
Secular marriage law proposed in Guernsey
Posted: Fri, 30 May 2014
A campaigning group for LGBTQ rights in Guernsey has announced that it has secured a commitment from the Guernsey government to introduce secular marriage legislation, removing religious references from laws related to marriage. Read More »
Saudi Arabia calls for criticism of religion to be outlawed in Norway
Posted: Wed, 30 Apr 2014
Saudi Arabia has called for all criticism of religion and of the prophet Mohammed to be made illegal in Norway. The call came during the United Nation's Universal Periodic Review of Norway this week. Read More »
Faith school allocation may infringe human rights
Posted: Sun, 06 Apr 2014
Non-religious and Christian parents who have been allocated places for their children at a Sikh free school have argued that their right to educate their children according to their beliefs is being infringed. Read More »
Equality watchdog rebukes Charity Appeal panel for “mistaken” ruling on gay adoption
Posted: Mon, 31 Mar 2014
The Equality and Human Rights Commission has dismissed as "mistaken" a decision by the Scottish Charities Appeal Panel to permit a Catholic adoption agency to continue discriminating against gay couples. Read More »
Secularist of the Year awarded to Turkish MP, Safak Pavey
Posted: Sat, 29 Mar 2014
Turkish MP and human rights campaigner, Safak Pavey, has been named Secularist of the Year at an award ceremony hosted by the National Secular Society. Read More »
IHEU defends freedom of thought for all at the UN
Posted: Wed, 12 Mar 2014
The International Humanist and Ethical Union (IHEU) has spoken out at the Human Rights Council (HRC) to defend freedom of thought for all – including the non-religious. Read More »
