The British Humanist Association (BHA) will be participating in a rally tomorrow, Saturday 21st September in Hyde Park, London, calling for secular law and universal human rights.
Naomi Phillips, BHA Public Affairs Officer, who will be speaking at the rally, said, ‘Humanists have always been deeply committed to human rights, equality, democracy, and an end to irrelevant discrimination. The BHA has a long history of active engagement in work for an open and inclusive society. In such a society, people of all beliefs would have equal treatment before the law, without exception – and that law must be one that is secular. We are deeply concerned, therefore, by any attempts to uphold in British law judgments made in Sharia tribunals that stray into family or criminal matters and we fundamentally oppose any such moves.’
‘In a liberal, democratic society, you can never ‘ban’ voluntary, private arrangements made along Sharia or other religious principles. However, we know that the practice of religious law will often operate in discriminatory ways against women, children, gay people and others. In a society that enshrines in its laws the principle of equal rights for women, rights for children, gay rights, freedom of religion or belief and more, we have a duty to try to ensure that such associations are truly voluntary and free from coercion.’
Notes
For more information about the rally, see http://www.onelawforall.org.uk/universal-childrens-day-and-international-day-for-the-elimination-of-violence-against-women/
Date: November 21, 2009
Time: 1200hrs – 1400hrs
Place: North Carriage Drive, in-between Stanhope Place Gate and Albion Gate, Hyde Park (closest underground Marble Arch).
For further comment or information, contact Naomi Phillips on 07540 257101.
The British Humanist Association is the national charity representing and supporting the interests of ethically concerned, non-religious people in the UK. It is the largest organisation in the UK campaigning for an end to religious privilege and to discrimination based on religion or belief, and for a secular state.