Category: Freedom of Thought
Election 2026: School worship opt-out a key priority in children’s rights manifesto
Ahead of the Holyrood elections in May, we’re urging the next Scottish Government to end compulsory school worship and fundamentally reform the practice in non-denominational schools. Together (Scottish Alliance for Children’s Rights) has also made an independent pupil opt-out for…
Humanist Win! New jury rules protect privacy of non-religious
Jurors who choose to make a secular affirmation will now be treated fairly under new legislation passed in Scotland. Previous rules for oaths and affirmations undermined free choice and failed to protect the privacy of non-religious jury members. The changes…
A free press is a free America. We must protect it at all costs.
This World Press Freedom Day, the authoritarian Trump government is placing extreme strain on press freedom in the USA. We reached out to Nnenna Onwukwe, Communications Associate for the Secular Coalition for America, for a stateside view on the topic…
Church leaders get humanists and pagans banned from speaking at interfaith event
We and the Scottish Pagan Federation were banned from the event at Glasgow Cathedral, marking the city’s 850th anniversary, after Catholic and Church of Scotland leaders’ objections. An extraordinary article in The Times reveals that both Humanist Society Scotland and…
Humanists International’s Emma Wadsworth-Jones on the Freedom of Thought Report 2025
Each year, Humanists International’s Freedom of Thought Report meticulously documents the discrimination faced by non-religious people around the world. Emma Wadsworth-Jones is the Casework & Campaigns Manager at Humanists International and produces the report. In a guest article for our…
Mubarak Bala released from prison
Our ally and friend Mubarak Bala, President of the Humanist Association of Nigeria, has been released from prison in Nigeria, but concerns for his safety remain. We are delighted that our ally and friend Mubarak Bala, a tireless and brave…
The year in humanism: news and campaigns round-up
What a year it’s been. With religious authoritarianism on the march around the world, let’s take some time to celebrate the many victories for humanism in 2024. Here a round up of campaigns and news moments from across the year….
Respond to the Scottish government’s consultation on flawed religious observance bill
The Scottish government is consulting the public on a new bill which it claims will give pupils greater say over religious observance at schools. However, it is deeply flawed. Use our guide below to have your say. The Scottish government…
New religious observance bill fails to respect children’s rights
This week we received an important update from the Scottish Government on compulsory religious observance in schools. Ministers’ proposals fall far short of what is required to comply with their own landmark children’s rights legislation. Our My Beliefs, My Choice…
Our CEO interviewed in The Herald on influence of international religious right in Scotland
Our CEO Fraser Sutherland was interviewed by Neil Mackay in yesterday’s Herald on Sunday. Fraser talks about the influence of the international religious right on debates from assisted dying to trans rights, and how Scotland (and us) became a lightning…
Programme for Government 2024-25: Our Humanist priorities
Ahead of the First Minister’s Programme for Government address, Humanist Society Scotland has set out what we think should be included in the government’s plans for 2024-25. As MSPs head back to Holyrood after summer recess, attention is turning to…