This is an update of news from International Humanist and Ethical Union (IHEU). You can find the full versions of these news stories on their web site. They’re also on twitter, Facebook and YouTube.Visit www.iheu.org/newsletter to subscribe.

IHEU condemns Holy See for undermining democracy and human rights
Speaking at the 18th session of the UN Human Rights Council on 23 September, IHEU representative Cathy Buchs condemned the Vatican for attempting to undermine democracy and human rights by insisting that child abuse cases be judged under the churches’ own rules of canon law rather than the laws of the state…. Read more

National Secular Society intervention aims to protect UK equality laws from religious onslaught
The National Secular Society (NSS), an IHEU member organization, has submitted an intervention with the European Court of Human Rights to argue that Britains equality laws should be upheld and not compromised by religious exemptions. Read more

Research debunks the myth that Christians contribute more to society
Secular people are just as likely to participate in society as religious people, suggests new research by the British government. The British Humanist Association (BHA) has welcomed the findings as further evidence against the idea increasingly advanced by religious and government leaders that religion increases peoples contribution to society. The survey also revealed that Christians were much less likely than any other belief group to mix with people of different beliefs or ethnicities. Read more

IHEU attacks traditional practices leading to maternal deaths
IHEU representative Hannah Bock raised two examples of traditional practices that are continuing to impede efforts to reduce maternal mortality: child marriage in Afghanistan and the forced feeding of young girls in Mauritania. Read more

IHEU calls on religious leaders to condemn violence, again and again and again…
Speaking at the Human Rights Council in Geneva on 12 September 2011, IHEU representative Hannah Bock called on religious leaders around the world to make it clear “again and again and again that no religion justifies the taking of innocent life. It is the great tragedy of our time that, worldwide, we are confronted by those who believe it is”. Read more

Humanist movement hits new high in membership.
There are more godless groups in the world than ever before. The International Humanist and Ethical Union (IHEU), the world union of Humanist, atheist, rationalist, freethought and ethical culture groups, now has 117 member organizations from 38 countries. At the World Humanist Congress in Olso, five new member organizations joined the IHEU, taking it to the highest membership figure in its six decade history. Read more

International Humanist and Ethical Union (IHEU) is the world umbrella organisation for Humanist, ethical culture, rationalist, secularist and freethought groups. Based in London, it is an international NGO with Special Consultative Status with the UN (New York, Geneva, Vienna), General Consultative Status at UNICEF (New York) and the Council of Europe (Strasbourg), and it maintains operational relations with UNESCO (Paris).

Its mission is to build and represent the global Humanist movement, to defend human rights and to promote Humanist values world-wide. IHEU sponsors the triennial World Humanist Congress.

You can find out more about IHEU on their web site.