29 January 2012
The EHF has adopted a policy on conscientious objection. It says that humanists set a high value on freedom of religion or belief. However, it draws attention to the c0nditions the European Convention on Human Rights imposes on the right to manifest such beliefs – for example, where that may interfere with the rights and freedoms of other people. Some claims to conscientious objection do have serious implications for the rights of others – rights… read more »
14 October 2011
One of the most intractable problems facing society is the use of drugs, both legal and illegal, for other than medical purposes. A libertarian view would see such use of drugs as a matter for the individual, not for paternalistic interference by the state. But the harm done by drug use to many people – not just drug users but their families and friends and to society as a whole through the associated crime –… read more »
For humanists education a matter of high importance. On this page we set out our fundamental policy and provide links to some pages dealing with the matter in more detail. General principles Education should fit the individual for life as a full participant in society, and teach self-respect and respect for the dignity of others. Education should promote intellectual honesty. It should foster a love of learning and an appreciation of the supremacy of reason… read more »
1 October 2011
The EHF was represented at the 2011 conference in Warsaw (left, general view from the NGO seats) by its President, David Pollock, by its OSCE representatives Hans Christian Cars and (from member organisations) by Vera Pegna of the Unione degli Atei e degli Agnostici Razionalisti (UAAR) and Pierre-Arnaud Perrouty of the Centre d’Action Laique in Brussels. We made three interventions in the session on 27 September on “Freedom of thought, conscience, religion or belief”. David… read more »
15 September 2011
The OSCE held a meeting on combating hate crimes against Christians in Rome on 12 September 2011. Vera Pegna represented the EHF and reports: There were a couple of hundred delegates, mostly Catholic bishops, archbishops, but also representatives of other Christian religions, and Jews and Moslems and a number of ambassadors to the Holy See and government representatives. Plus a number of NGOs, mostly Catholic. The first half of the morning went by with… read more »
15 March 2011
The Organisation for Security and Cooperation in Europe is the world’s largest regional security organization whose 55 participating States span the geographical area from Vancouver to Vladivostok. It has as one of its three main activities the protection of democracy and human rights. (More detail of the background to the organisation is included in the report of the 2005 meeting. EHF and the OSCE Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights The OSCE Office for… read more »
17 January 2011
EHF and the European Union Most countries in Europe are members of the European Union and its decisions are increasingly important in our lives. The EHF is uniquely placed to represent humanists and secularists in its institutions and we give this work a high priority. Opposing Special Rights for Churches in the EU Under the controversial Article 17* of the Treaty on the Functoning of the European Union as amended by the Lisbon Treaty of… read more »
22 December 2010
The Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe (OSCE) held a special conference on Freedom of Religion or Belief in Vienna on 9-10 December 2010. The EHF was represented at this Special Human Dimension Implementation Meeting by Vera Pegna and by Hans Christian Cars, who is taking over from her as our permanent representative with OSCE. They have recorded their impressions of the meeting. Also linked from here is the full text of the interventions they… read more »
10 December 2010
The OSCE held a special conference on Freedom of Religion or Belief in Vienna on 9-10 December 2010. The EHF was represented at this Special Human Dimension Implementation Meeting by Vera Pegna and by Hans Christian Cars, who is taking over from her as our permanent representative with OSCE.They have recorded their impressions of the meeting. Also linked from here is the full text of the interventions they registered and made in the three sessions (contributions… read more »
1 October 2010
Attacks on the Holy See The EHF was at the OSCE’s 2010 Review Conference (which this year replaced the usual Human Dimension Implementation Meeting) for the session on “freedom of thought, conscience, religion or belief” on Friday October 1. In the plenary session, EHF President David Pollock attacked the “undiplomatic behaviour” of the Holy See. His remarks are reproduced below, with a link to the full version of his paper. Vera Pegna spoke (for the… read more »