Reactionary religious interest groups remain influential within European politics and are becoming increasingly active, the recently established Alliance for Secular Europe has warned.
The Alliance, of which the BHA is a founding member, aims to bring together a broad variety of organisations in its work, including those campaigning for equality on the basis of gender and sexual orientation, organisations concerned with family planning, abortion and assisted dying, religious groups in favour of reform, human rights organisations and humanist and secularist groups. Though varied in its composition, the Alliance is united in its opposition to the improper exercise of religious interference to undermine the freedom of others.
Through the Alliance, groups will be able to issue alerts and seek assistance on issues where a secular approach in Europe is in danger, and co-ordinate resistance in the face of reactionary and often highly organised groups attempting to impose an overtly religious agenda.
The Alliance is calling for all organisations whose work is affected by these issues to consider joining in order to ensure that important voices are heard at a European level.
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Read more about eligibility and membership
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 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