Founded in Amsterdam in 1952, Humanists International (formerly International Humanist and Ethical Union or IHEU) is the sole world umbrella organization embracing Humanist, atheist, rationalist, secularist, skeptic, laique, ethical culture, freethought, and similar organizations worldwide.
Our vision is a Humanist world; a world in which human rights are respected and everyone is able to live a life of dignity. We work to build and represent the global Humanist movement that defends human rights and promotes Humanist values world-wide.
Based in London, HI is an international NGO with Special Consultative Status with UN (New York, Geneva, Vienna), General Consultative Status at UNICEF (New York) and the Council of Europe (Strasbourg), and maintains operational relations with UNESCO (Paris). HI has observer status at the African Commission on Human and People’s Rights.
Several humanist organizations are represented at the United Nations. The American Humanist Association (AHA) and the American Ethical Union (AEU) enjoy limited participation through the U.N.’s Department of Information. Only the International Humanist and Ethical Union (IHEU) has consultative status with the U.N.’s Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC), a more powerful role which includes the potential for representation on committees.
