There is an established internationally recognised human right to be atheist, agnostic, secular, humanist, or in any other way free from religion. This human right is part of the fundamental right to freedom of thought, conscience, religion or belief. It applies equally to all persons, including persons with non-theistic and atheistic beliefs and supporters of secularism.
In international human rights law, this right is linked to several other rights, including freedom of expression, freedom of association, equality before the law, non-discrimination, and private and family law. Together this package protects all persons, regardless of their religious or nonreligious beliefs.
In 2019 the International Commission of Jurists, composed of 60 judges and lawyers from all regions of the world, published a Primer on International Human Rights Law and Standards on the Right to Freedom of Thought, Conscience, Religion or Belief. Its opening paragraph unambiguously states that this is a wide-ranging right:

“encompassing the right to freedom of thought and personal convictions in all matters, and protecting the profession and practice of different kinds of beliefs, whether theistic, non-theistic or atheistic, and the freedom not to disclose one’s religion or belief. International law also guarantees and protects the right not to have a religious confession.”

Authoritarian theocrats frequently breach this right in practice. Islamist States enforce religious dogma and persecute atheists, dissident Muslims, and religious minorities. The Vatican claims to be a State when it suits, then evades human rights obligations by switching chameleon-like to claim to be a religion with its own rules.
These theocrats also falsely deny that this human right exists. They try to trump human rights law with Catholic Canon Law or the Sharia-based Cairo Declaration on Human Rights in Islam. But the primacy of universal rights is enshrined in the key international human rights Treaties and associated Court judgments.
In order to protect and enforce the human right to be atheist and secular, we must counter any attempts to deny or undermine its existence. This article provides some information to do this, including about:
1. International Bodies that Atheist Ireland interacts with
2. The United Nations and its Treaties and Bodies
3. Council of Europe, European Court, and Venice Commission
4. The European Union and the Charter of Fundamental Rights
5. The Organisation for Security and Cooperation in Europe
1. International Bodies that Atheist Ireland interacts with
Atheist Ireland interacts regularly with international oversight bodies that help us to lobby to protect and enforce this human right. These include the United Nations, the Council of Europe, the European Union, and the Organisation for Security and Cooperation in Europe. This work is a core part of our ongoing campaign for ethical secularism.
For the 157 States of the United Nations, this human right is enshrined in Article 18 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, Article 18 of the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, General Comment Number 22 on Article 18 of this Treaty, and the Declaration on the Elimination of All Forms of Intolerance and of Discrimination Based on Religion or Belief.
For the 47 States of the Council of Europe, this human right is enshrined in Article 9 of the European Convention on Human Rights, which is enforced by the European Court of Human Rights based in Strasbourg. The Venice Commission is a body within the Council of Europe that advises States on constitutional issues including human rights.
For the 27 States of the European Union, this human right is enshrined in Article 10 of the Charter of Fundamental Rights, and the EU Guidelines on the promotion and protection of freedom of religion or belief.
For the 57 States of the Organisation for Security and Cooperation in Europe, which span Europe, the Caucasus, Central Asia and North America, this human right is monitored by the Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights.
These Treaties and oversight bodies are the strongest mechanisms that we have to shape and regulate human rights at an international level. In practice, States can and do resist implementing their outcomes. But they provide an important framework for activists to campaign to protect and enforce the right to be atheist and secular at national level.
2. The United Nations and its Treaties and Bodies
The Universal Declaration on Human Rights (UDHR) was adopted in 1948 as a common international standard for achieving human rights. As a Declaration it is not legally binding, but it forms the basis for subsequent Treaties that are legally binding. Article 18 states:

“18. Everyone has the right to freedom of thought, conscience and religion; this right includes freedom to change his religion or belief, and freedom, either alone or in community with others and in public or private, to manifest his religion or belief in teaching, practice, worship and observance.”

The International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (ICCPR) was adopted in 1966, and came into force in 1976. The ICCPR is one of the legally binding Treaties that builds on the UDHR. Article 18 states:

“18.1 Everyone shall have the right to freedom of thought, conscience and religion. This right shall include freedom to have or to adopt a religion or belief of his choice, and freedom, either individually or in community with others and in public or private, to manifest his religion or belief in worship, observance, practice and teaching.
2. No one shall be subject to coercion which would impair his freedom to have or to adopt a religion or belief of his choice.
3. Freedom to manifest one’s religion or beliefs may be subject only to such limitations as are prescribed by law and are necessary to protect public safety, order, health, or morals or the fundamental rights and freedoms of others.
4. The States Parties to the present Covenant undertake to have respect for the liberty of parents and, when applicable, legal guardians to ensure the religious and moral education of their children in conformity with their own convictions.”

The United Nations Human Rights Committee (UNHRC) is a body of independent legal experts which oversees the ICCPR. It interprets the Treaty by publishing General Comments, and it examines how each State is complying with its obligations under the Treaty. Its General Comment Number 22 interprets Article 18 of the Treaty. It includes: Read more…

Respect our rights

In second level schools the main aim of curriculum Religious Education is to develop values in students to enable them to come to an understanding of the relevance of religion to their lives. The is not an objective course about religions and belief and as such it is indoctrination. If the main aim of any course was to enable students to develop values to come to an understanding of the relevance of atheism to their lives then we would never hear the end of it.

The state rationale for the inclusion of religious education in the curriculum is that religious education specifically enables the child to develop spiritual and moral values and come to a knowledge of god. This rationale enables the indoctrination of children into religion in publicly funded schools.

If parents exercise their constitutional right to ensure their child does not attend religious and moral teaching that is against their conscience their child is left sitting in the class and no other subject is offered. This represents a real and significant disadvantage to students that exercise their constitutional right to not attend religious and moral teaching. Children that attend religious and moral teaching get extra state resources that helps parents with their education.

At second level NCCA Religious education is an optional subject. However, nearly all schools make it a core subject and no other subject is offered if students exercise their right to not attend on the grounds of conscience. Again minorities are at a significant disadvantage for exercising their Constitutional right to not attend on the grounds of conscience.

Calling concerned teachers

If you are a teacher and concerned about unwanted religious influence contact Chris at teachers@atheist.ie