The BHA devotes much of its time to campaigning and lobbying on behalf of everyone who considers themselves to be a humanist or holds humanist views. We work for an open society and a secular state with no religious privilege or discrimination based on religion or belief. We also campaign for a rational approach to public ethical issues in order to contribute to a public life where decisions are made on evidence rather than on the basis of irrational beliefs or religious doctrines. Visit www.humanism.org.uk/campaigns
As a national organisation, the BHA presents expertly argued views to Parliament and the Government: lobbying Parliament, submitting evidence to enquiries, making submissions to Government, responding to consultations, and conducting media campaigns. We have a close working relationship with the All Party Parliamentary Humanist Group.
Our campaigns include: Religion and Schools, including ‘faith’ schools; Equalities, the “Big Society” and Localism, and Public Service Reform; Equal Marriage; Ethical and Scientific Issues; and more.
The BHA also works with NGOs from across the European Union and attends The European Parliament Platform for Secularism in Europe (EPPSP). The EPPSP is a forum which defends and promotes Fundamental Rights, with special focus on freedom of religion (including freedom from religion), freedom of conscience and freedom of speech. The BHA was also involved in, and is an administrator for, the Alliance for a Secular Europe. The Alliance is a grouping of organisations seeking to defend progressive laws and causes against reactionary religious influence on political decision-making in Europe and, more generally, to promote secularism in European politics.
Get involved
Two weeks before the Government’s consultation on same-sex marriage draws to a close, Andrew Copson, Chief Executive of the British Humanist Association is participating in a debate hosted by Catholic Voices on the motion, ‘This House Would Legalise Same-Sex Marriage’.
Lesley Pilkington, a psychotherapist who was found guilty of ‘professional malpractice’ for using the techniques of ‘conversion therapy’ (a bogus form of treatment which is supposed to make gay people become straight) has lost her appeal against the British Association for Counselling and Psychotherapy (BACP). Mrs Pilkington was found guilty of malpractice last year after trying to convert a gay client to heterosexuality, with the BACP describing her practice as ‘negligent’, ‘dogmatic’ and ‘unprofessional’. The British Humanist Association (BHA) welcomes the BACP’s decision.
A Welsh Government investigation into recent news that the Catholic Education Service (CES) encouraged schools to promote a petition against same-sex marriage has concluded that this led to schools breaking laws on political balance. The Government has also asked that any schools which promoted the petition now make pupils aware of ‘the converse view’. The British Humanist Association (BHA), who were the first to suggest these laws may have been broken, has welcomed the findings.
A new survey of Welsh adults carried out by YouGov has revealed that more people support the replacement of laws requiring Collective Worship in schools than support retaining them, and more support fully opening up Religious Education (RE) to non-religious beliefs than oppose it.
Leading sexual health groups, unions and religion and belief organisations have together written to Secretary of State for Education Michael Gove, to ask that he issues guidance to prevent groups making false claims about abortion and contraception in schools. The letter particularly focuses on the behaviour of the Society for the Protection of Unborn Children (SPUC), Lovewise and Life, and was coordinated by Education For Choice (EFC) and the British Humanist Association (BHA). EFC and the BHA recently uncovered falsehoods spread by SPUC in schools through secret recordings, and are aware of similar inaccurate claims made by the other two groups.
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