The Rationalist Society of Australia has spearheaded an effort by non-religious, ex-religious and pro-secular groups to urge the United Nations Human Rights Council to address the discriminatory and unfair treatment of non-religious Australians in government institutions and programs.
The RSA led a coalition of groups in making a submission this month to the Human Rights Council’s Universal Periodic Review (Fourth Cycle) into Australia’s human rights.
The other endorsing organisations are: Atheist Foundation of Australia; Humanists Australia; Recovering From Religion Australia; National Secular Lobby; Sydney Atheists; Queensland Parents for Secular State Schools; Fairness in Religion in Schools (NSW); and the Secular Association of New South Wales.
The submission details eight examples of discriminatory and unfair treatment of non-religious people on the grounds of religion and belief, arguing that such cases demonstrate how the continued privileging of religion in public life erects barriers to equal participation and contributes to the alienation of non-religious and ex-religious people.
The submission makes a number of recommendations relating to the following issues:
- the imposition of acts of religious worship in parliaments and local governments;
- the lack of non-religious frontline wellbeing support for the Defence Force’s majority non-religious workforce;
- the use of a coercive Census religion question that assumes all respondents have a religion;
- the state-sponsored disruption of normal learning time for public schools students that allows scripture programs to run during class time;
- the funding of religious chaplains based on religious requirements in government schools;
- the benefits afforded to religious charities for ‘advancing religion’, while the same opportunities are denied to groups with non-religious worldviews, in the nation’s charities system;
- the imposition of religion in military commemorations;
- the exclusive opportunities afforded to religious organisations to be part of ‘faith advisory committees’ to governments.
The submission argues that such discriminatory and unfair treatment of non-religious people is inconsistent with Australia’s various commitments to international human rights treaties and declarations that provide for equal treatment of religion and belief.
It argues such treatment is indefensible, especially at a time when Australians are increasingly identifying as not religious.
“Given Australia’s international commitments to treating religion and belief equally, we believe it is imperative that the international community holds Australia accountable to these commitments domestically by urging it to address the discriminatory and unfair treatment of non-religious citizens,” says the submission.
“If Australia is to have any credibility in advocating for religious and belief rights on the international stage, then it must address the discriminatory and unfair treatment of non-religious citizens at home.”
The Human Rights Council will now take the submission into consideration as it prepares a stakeholders’ report, which will include other human rights concerns raised by civil society organisations.
As part of the review process into Australia’s human rights for the period 2021-25, United Nations’ members will have the opportunity to make recommendations to the Australian government when Australian diplomatic officials appear before the Human Rights Council next year.
Speaking today, RSA Executive Director Si Gladman said the focus would now turn to gaining international support for the submission’s recommendations.
“For too long, Australian governments have ignored the concerns of non-religious citizens on these issues and have continued to privilege religion in government institutions and programs,” he said.
“Non-religious people are not prepared to sit on the sidelines any more. The matters raised in the submission are about fundamental human rights. We are urging the international community to help Australia to do better.”
Si Gladman is Executive Director of the Rationalist Society of Australia. He also hosts ‘The Secular Agenda’ podcast.
If you want to support our work, please make a donation or become a member.
Image: sanjitbakshi (Flickr, CC)