UN endorses Humanists UK’s call to defend women’s rights against fundamentalists

Humanists UK has raised concerns at the 60th session of the UN Human Rights Council about the misuse of religion to restrict women’s rights, warning that transnational religious fundamentalist networks are increasingly driving resistance to gender equality across the globe. After its intervention, the UN Special Rapporteur responded and agreed that freedom of religion or belief should not be used to restrict gender equality or women’s right to development.

In response to a UN report on the nexus of gender equality and the right to development, Humanists UK emphasised that these coordinated efforts directly undermine women’s rights, restricting their ability to pursue education, employment, health, and civic participation on an equal footing. 

Fighting the rise of religious fundamentalism

Beyond state-enforced persecution, a growing network of internationally connected fundamentalist groups is increasingly shaping laws, policies, and social norms to restrict women’s freedoms. This concern builds upon Humanists UK’s previous warnings about conservative Christian international networks, such as the US-based Alliance Defending Freedom (ADF), which have sought to influence policy and public opinion in multiple countries. Around the world, women continue to face restrictions justified on religious grounds, often limiting their access to education, healthcare, and participation in public and political life. By presenting themselves as defenders of moral or cultural values, these actors are able to influence debates and public opinion, often spreading misleading information or fostering stigma around women’s choices.

Another of these networks is the International Organisation for the Family (IOF) and its partners. The IOF positions itself as a defender of ‘traditional family values’, opposing reproductive rights, LGBT+ rights, and broader gender equality initiatives. It operates globally, coordinating campaigns, hosting conferences, and supporting local organisations to influence laws and social norms.

In the intervention, delivered via video by Humanists UK representative Ella Edwards, she stated:

‘State-enforced gender-based persecution under repressive theocratic regimes remains deeply concerning. However, a well-connected transnational, religiously conservative network of civil society actors spanning Europe, the United States, and Russia is increasingly driving resistance to gender equality by promoting policy shifts and social norms across continents.

‘How can the Special Rapporteur encourage states to protect the right to freedom of religion and belief for all women, to promote gender equality against pressures from religious fundamentalist groups?’

The UN Special Rapporteur on the right to development, Surya Deva, responded directly to the intervention, making Humanists UK the only NGO to be acknowledged during the session. He confirmed that freedom of religion or belief should not be used to restrict gender equality or women’s right to development.

The intervention came shortly after the Special Rapporteur dismissed claims by the Holy See that abortion violates the right to life and challenged Pakistan’s framing of women’s participation as a matter of ‘protection’ rather than recognising women’s expertise.