Five years of progress for humanism in Wales – and what the next Senedd should do

As Wales prepares for a new Senedd term, Kathy Riddick, our Wales Policy and Campaigns Manager, takes a moment to point to a series of significant advances for human rights, equality, and freedom of religion or belief achieved during the last five years, and what’s next.

The previous Senedd term saw Wales increasingly establish itself as one of the most inclusive and pluralistic nations in the UK, with progress on equality in education, human rights, and recognition of non-religious people in public life.

Children and education: 

Among the most significant changes was the rollout of the new Curriculum for Wales, which replaced Religious Education with Religion, Values and Ethics (RVE). The new subject requires teaching about both religious and non-religious worldviews, including humanism, in an objective, critical, and pluralistic way. This reform has helped to create the most inclusive curriculum in the UK.

Another notable change celebrated by humanists was the removal of the legal defence of ‘reasonable punishment’, making Wales and Scotland the only UK nations to ban the physical punishment of children. The landmark reform that strengthens children’s rights and reflects a more modern, evidence-based approach to protecting young people was introduced by ‘Humanists UK patron’ Julie Morgan MS.

Humanists in public services:

The last Senedd term also saw increasing recognition of the rights of non-religious people within public institutions. Wales became the first nation in the UK where every local authority education body responsible for advising on religion and belief education included humanist representation, helping ensure the voices of non-religious families are heard in education policy discussions.

During the last Senedd term, the Welsh Government formally called for the legal recognition of humanist marriages, urging the UK Government to act so that non-religious couples in Wales can marry in line with their beliefs. This demonstrated growing political support for equal treatment of humanist ceremonies, which remain legally recognised in Scotland and Northern Ireland but not yet in England and Wales.

Whilst there have been positive moves towards equal access to non-religious pastoral care in healthcare settings, following wider changes across the UK recognising the importance of support for people of all beliefs and none, there are yet to be any appointments of non-religious pastoral carers to NHS Chaplaincy teams. This change has been discussed for some time but has yet to be achieved.

The Senedd itself has taken symbolic steps towards greater inclusion. In 2023, Humanists UK member Mari Vaughan Owen was appointed as the Senedd’s first humanist pastoral carer as part of the chaplaincy team, providing non-religious pastoral and reflective support alongside religious representatives. In 2024, Mari spoke at an All Party Parliamentary Humanist Group meeting in Westminster about religion and belief in parliament.

This growing recognition was also reflected at a national level when the previous First Minister, Mark Drakeford addressed the Humanists UK Convention in Cardiff in 2024. His participation was seen as a significant moment, signalling political recognition of humanists and the importance of including humanist perspectives in national conversations about values, ethics, and public life in Wales.

Politics reflecting the rise of the non-religious in Wales

These developments reflect a broader shift in Welsh society. According to the 2021 Census, “No religion” is now the largest belief group in Wales. Most people in Wales under 74 ticked ‘No religion’.

The previous Senedd term also demonstrated growing political recognition that freedom of religion or belief includes the rights of non-religious people. During debates on constitutional reform and human rights, the Welsh Government and Senedd committees increasingly engaged with concerns about religious discrimination, collective worship laws, and equality in public services. 

In 2026, the Senedd voted in favour of the Legislative Consent Motion (LCM) for the Terminally Ill Adults (End of Life) Bill. The vote did not change the criminal law on assisted dying, but confirmed that the Welsh Government would be able to design and oversee its own implementation of the law, rooted in Welsh values, language, and healthcare structures. This vote reflected the overwhelming support for assisted dying in Wales.

Unfinished business – What do we need from the next Welsh parliament?

There remains unfinished business for the next Senedd. With a new bill likely for assisted dying, the new Senedd will be required to vote again on legislative consent. There is also a need for action to end compulsory collective worship in schools, tackle discrimination in faith school admissions and employment, introduce legal recognition for humanist marriages in Wales, and deliver equal access to non-religious pastoral care across public services. The Senedd was established in 1998 as a secular government, where all religions and beliefs would be treated equally. The new government leading the seventh Senedd must retain this ideal, to deliver on the values of equality and partnership working, which were embedded in the Wales Act.

Wales Humanists Policy and Campaigns Manager Kathy Riddick commented:

‘The last Senedd term saw real progress towards a fairer and more inclusive Wales. From the Curriculum for Wales reforms to greater recognition of non-religious people in public life, Wales has increasingly shown that freedom of religion or belief means protecting everyone equally, including the growing number of non-religious people.

‘Wales is now one of the least religious nations in Europe, and the Senedd has increasingly begun to reflect that diversity positively and constructively. While important progress has been made, the next Senedd now has the opportunity to build on these foundations and ensure Wales fully reflects the beliefs and values of its population in law and public policy. A modern Wales should be inclusive, secular, and welcoming to people of all religions and beliefs.’