- Target:
- United Nations
- Region:
- GLOBAL
- Website:
- www.atheistalliance.org
Today, atheists are one of the most discriminated against groups in the world. In some countries, it is illegal to be an atheist and penalties range from fines to imprisonment to death. In countries in which it is legal to be an atheist, there can be discrimination in employment, in access to public office and in many other ways.
Since the advent of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights in 1948, human rights have made great progress but none of the half-dozen, or so declarations or covenants ratified since then have explicitly recognized the right to be secular and defined what that means.
We, the undersigned, call on the UN and other human rights organizations to explicitly recognize the RIGHT to be SECULAR.
Specifically, we seek the incorporation of the following wording in relevant covenants. treaties and declarations:
"Freedom of religion and belief entails the right to be a secular person. That is the right not to be coerced or presumed to: adopt a belief; practice a religion; behave or dress according to religious precepts; identify with any faith; belong to a religious community, organization or association; adopt religious ceremonies associated with births, deaths or other life events; or be registered in official documents as a member of a religion, faith, church or any institution related to religion."
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The The RIGHT to be SECULAR petition to United Nations was written by Bill Flavell and is in the category Human Rights at GoPetition.