Humanists UK at UN: ‘religious freedom’ does not justify conversion practices

At the 62nd session of the UN Human Rights Council, Humanists UK raised concerns about abuses faced by lesbian, bisexual, and transgender women, including conversion practices, in the name of religious or cultural tradition. The intervention was delivered in response to a report by the UN Independent Expert on protection against violence and discrimination based on sexual orientation and gender identity about Violence and discrimination experienced by lesbian, bisexual, and queer women.

Humanists UK welcomed the report’s recognition that conversion practices against women form part of a wider pattern of gender-based violence, often driven by family, community, and cultural or religious pressure.

The intervention was delivered via video by Humanists UK Policy and Campaigns Manager Laura Newlyn. She said:

‘We uphold the right to freedom of religion or belief – or FoRB – for all, but this right cannot be invoked to justify abuse. As former Special Rapporteur Ahmed Shaheed stated, FoRB ‘does not limit the state’s obligation to protect the life, dignity, health and equality of LGBTQ+ persons’.

‘When women are experiencing distress over their sexual orientation or gender identity, they should be met with person-centred and therapeutically well-grounded support. However, conversion practices have no credible evidence base. They are harmful even where they take forms that may not otherwise be criminalised.’

Humanists UK went on to highlight that a former UN Independent Expert had already reported that, ‘all practices attempting conversion are inherently humiliating, demeaning and discriminatory’, generating shame and guilt, and associated with significant pain and suffering including suicidal ideation and suicide attempts. Despite this, only 15 countries have national legislative bans on conversion practices.

In his closing remarks, the Independent Expert reiterated to UN member states that women face many barriers to accessing their rights, including appeals to tradition, culture or religion. He went on to confirm that states, regardless of the source of these barriers, had to make sure that women could access their rights.

Conversion practices in the UK

Humanists UK and LGBT+ Humanists campaign for a ban on therapies, services, and other practices that have a predetermined purpose to change, deny, or suppress an individual’s sexual orientation or gender identity because of prejudiced assumptions that a particular sexual orientation or gender identity is better than any others. It does not seek to ban appropriately informed and ethical medical or psychological services that are essential for people in exploring and coming to terms with who they are – whether or not an individual subsequently identifies as lesbian, gay, bisexual, or transgender.

In 2018, the then-Conservative government first announced plans to introduce a legislative conversion practices ban in England and Wales. In 2023, after nearly five years of inaction, it was finally announced that a draft Bill would be published ‘shortly’, but this in turn still didn’t happen. In the King’s Speech following the 2024 general election, the Labour government committed to publishing a draft Bill, and repeated this commitment in 2026. The draft Bill is yet to materialise, although media reports suggest it will be published soon.

Bans are also needed in Scotland, Northern Ireland, and the Channel Islands. The Isle of Man has led the way, having banned conversion practices in 2024.