Freedom of Thought by Humanists International

Humanise Live

Freedom of Thought from Humanists International is a global news and interview podcast examining the state of freedom of belief, expression, and human rights worldwide. Hosted by Gary McLelland and Leon Langdon, the podcast draws on Humanists International’s flagship Freedom of Thought Report to bring together researchers, human rights defenders, activists, and policy experts to unpack the realities facing humanists, atheists, and non-religious people in different countries and regions. Each episode explores key findings from the report alongside wider developments in international law, politics, and civil society. Through in-depth conversations, case studies, and timely analysis, the show highlights where freedoms are under threat, where progress is being made, and what solidarity and advocacy can achieve. Produced by Humanise Live, Freedom of Thought offers clear, accessible insight into global freedom of thought issues for anyone interested in human rights, secularism, democracy, and evidence-based policy.

Episodes

  1. Humanists International Answer Your Questions

    APR 29

    Humanists International Answer Your Questions

    Sign up for the Humanists International Newsletter To mark the end of Season One, Gary and Leon are joined by Harry, Fundraising and Communications Officer at Humanists International, who hosts a special listener Q&A. Questions came in from around the world covering everything from digital safety under repressive regimes, to the future of the UN, to humanism's role in the age of AI and climate change. In this episode we cover How humanists living under restrictive regimes can stay safe and connected — and what Humanists International can offerThe Freedom of Thought Report — greatest improvements and worst declines over the past decadeHumanism, climate change and AI — can humanists help shape the story humanity tells about itself?Concerns about the direction of UN reform and what it means for human rights funding and civil societyHow Humanists International sets its priorities, how it is governed, and how it is financedFurther reading and references Humanists International casework and security resources: https://humanists.international/what-we-do/Frontline Defenders — security support for human rights defenders: https://www.frontlinedefenders.orgLuxembourg Declaration on Artificial Intelligence — Humanists International: https://humanists.international/policy/luxembourg-declaration-on-artificial-intelligence-and-human-values/UN80 Initiative — reform framework: https://www.un.org/en/un80Follow Humanist International Sign up for our free NewsletterSupport Humanists InternationalFollow our CampaignsAbout - Humanists International Join us at the World Humanists Congress 2026This podcast is produced by Humanise Live. Start your podcast today, visit: humanise.live 🎶Music: Horizon by Simon Folwar Podcast transcripts are AI-generated and may contain errors or omissions. They are provided to make our content more accessible, but should not be considered a fully accurate record of the conversation.

    33 min
  2. Humanism Has Answers - Inside Humanist Canada with Janalee Morris

    APR 22

    Humanism Has Answers - Inside Humanist Canada with Janalee Morris

    Sign up for the Humanists International Newsletter Gary joins from Guatemala, where he has been meeting with Humanistas Guatemala and learning about the growing influence of American evangelical Christianity and the fascinating tradition of Catholic-Mayan syncretism. Leon meanwhile shares updates including cautious optimism around the Hungarian election result, ongoing tensions in Iran and the Middle East, the worrying composition of the newly elected UN Committee on NGOs, and welcome news that UN High Commissioner has endorsed the codification of gender apartheid as an international crime. This week's guest is Janalee Morris, Executive Director of Humanist Canada, which is co-hosting the 2026 World Humanist Congress in Ottawa this August. Janalee gives a wide-ranging overview of Humanist Canada's work — from training officiants and chaplains to advocacy on the census religion question, publicly funded Catholic schools, and Alberta's restrictions on gender-affirming care and medical assistance in dying. She also shares her excitement about the Congress and what it means to bring the global humanist movement together at this critical moment. In this episode we cover Evangelical Christian growth in Guatemala and Catholic-Mayan syncretismCautious optimism on Hungary's election resultEndorsements for codification of gender apartheid as an international crimeHumanist Canada Campaigns, Advocacy and ActivitiesHumanist ceremonies, officiants and the provincial licensing challengeWhy Attend The World Humanist Congress 2026Further reading and references Humanist Canada: https://www.humanistcanada.caHumanist Canada chaplaincy programme: https://www.humanistcanada.ca/programs/chaplaincy/Humanist Canada Choice Chat podcast on reproductive rights: https://www.humanistcanada.ca/programs/podcast/choice-chat-podcast/Humanistas Guatemala: https://www.facebook.com/HumanistasGuatemalaVolker Türk supports codification of gender apartheid as a crime against humanity — OHCHR: https://www.ohchr.org/en/press-releases/2026/01/turk-urges-ambition-crimes-against-humanity-treatyFollow Humanist International Sign up for our free NewsletterSupport Humanists InternationalFollow our CampaignsAbout - Humanists International Join us at the World Humanists Congress 2026This podcast is produced by Humanise Live. Start your podcast today, visit: humanise.live 🎶Music: Horizon by Simon Folwar Podcast transcripts are AI-generated and may contain errors or omissions. They are provided to make our content more accessible, but should not be considered a fully accurate record of the conversation.

    27 min
  3. How the UK Asylum System Is Failing the Non-Religious with Dr. Lucy Potter

    APR 15

    How the UK Asylum System Is Failing the Non-Religious with Dr. Lucy Potter

    Sign up for the Humanists International Newsletter This week's guest is Dr. Lucy Potter, postdoctoral fellow in the Department of Sociological Studies at the University of York. Her landmark three-year study — Freedom of Religion or Belief for All: Recognising and Protecting the Non-Religious in the Asylum System — reveals how the UK's asylum system routinely misunderstands and fails people fleeing persecution for leaving their religion. Lucy shares her key findings, her policy recommendations to the Home Office, and how she has been taking this research to Parliament and the UN. In this episode we cover The UN Committee on NGOs — why the newly elected slate of states is alarming for civil societyThe crisis in the Middle East and the erosion of the rules-based international orderWhat drew Dr. Lucy Potter to research non-religious asylum claimsWhy the asylum system struggles to assess non-religious identity claimsKey recommendations — updated Home Office policy, staff training, and adjusting the burden of proofReferences Dr. Lucy Potter's report — Freedom of Religion or Belief for All: Recognising and Protecting the Non-Religious in the Asylum System: https://humanists.uk/wp-content/uploads/Freedom-of-Religion-or-Belief-for-All-report.pdfHumanists UK — work on asylum and FoRB training: https://humanists.uk/campaigns/asylum/UK All-Party Parliamentary Humanist Group: https://humanists.uk/campaigns/parliament/all-party-parliamentary-humanist-group/UN Special Rapporteur on Freedom of Religion or Belief: https://www.ohchr.org/en/special-procedures/sr-religion-or-beliefUN Committee on NGOs: https://csonet.orgFreedom of Thought Report: https://fot.humanists.internationalFollow Humanist International Sign up for our free NewsletterSupport Humanists InternationalFollow our CampaignsAbout - Humanists International Join us at the World Humanists Congress 2026This podcast is produced by Humanise Live. Start your podcast today, visit: humanise.live 🎶Music: Horizon by Simon Folwar Podcast transcripts are AI-generated and may contain errors or omissions. They are provided to make our content more accessible, but should not be considered a fully accurate record of the conversation.

    25 min
  4. How Humanists Push Back Against Populism And The Politics Of Division

    APR 8

    How Humanists Push Back Against Populism And The Politics Of Division

    Sign up for the Humanists International Newsletter This week Gary and Leon zoom out from day-to-day advocacy to reflect on the wider global climate shaping freedom of thought. From rising populism and religious nationalism to legal battles and cultural shifts, the episode explores how political, legal, and social trends are reinforcing division, and what that means for humanists globally. They revisit key Humanists International declarations, discuss pressures on courts and human rights systems, and examine how anti-rights actors coordinate across countries. We then turn to culture, including the “quiet revival” controversy, the rise of the manosphere, and what these trends reveal about meaning, identity, and the challenges facing young people today. In this episode we cover: Growing Humanists International’s advocacy team The enduring relevance of the Auckland Declaration against the politics of division How anti-rights actors coordinate across law, lobbying, and international advocacy The “quiet revival” controversy and why bad religion data matters The manosphere, nihilism, and the search for meaning among young menReferences Auckland Declaration against the Politics of Division - Humanists InternationalLondon Declaration on Secularism - Humanists InternationalStatement on upholding the independence of the ECtHR - Norwegian NGO Forum for Human RightsBible Society retracts false Quiet Revival claims - Humanists UKDobbs v. Jackson Women’s Health Organization - WikipediaLouis Theroux: Inside the Manosphere - NetflixAdolescence - IMDBAlmost a third of Gen Z men agree a wife should obey her husband - Kings College LondonFollow Humanist International Sign up for our free NewsletterSupport Humanists InternationalFollow our CampaignsAbout - Humanists International Join us at the World Humanists Congress 2026This podcast is produced by Humanise Live. Start your podcast today, visit: humanise.live 🎶Music: Horizon by Simon Folwar Podcast transcripts are AI-generated and may contain errors or omissions. They are provided to make our content more accessible, but should not be considered a fully accurate record of the conversation.

    30 min
  5. Growing Humanism Worldwide - Membership, Grants and Community with Javan Lev Poblador

    APR 1

    Growing Humanism Worldwide - Membership, Grants and Community with Javan Lev Poblador

    Sign up for the Humanists International Newsletter Gary and Leon open with updates from New York and the closing days of the UN Human Rights Council — including concerns about efficiency measures cutting special rapporteur reporting, and urgent debates around the crisis in Iran. Gary reflects on Humanists International's statement, reaffirming that concern for human rights in Iran and concern about US military action are grounded in the same principles of international law. This week's guest is Javan Lev Poblador, Membership Manager at Humanists International, overseeing 120 member organisations across 60 countries. Javan shares his journey from a Mormon household in the Philippines to co-founding Humanist Alliance Philippines International (HAPI) and gives an inside look at how Humanists International supports its members through advocacy, training, and a grants programme that reached over 300,000 people in 2025. In this episode we cover The UN Human Rights Council — efficiency measures and the Iran urgent debatesHumanists International's statement on US military action in IranLawfare, amicus briefs, and why Humanists International is entering the legal arenaJavan's journey from Mormonism to humanism in the PhilippinesHow Humanists International supports members across 60 countriesThe grants programme — impact from Nigeria to Peru to the PhilippinesMembership growth in Africa, Latin America, and AsiaHow to join or start a humanist organisationFurther reading and references Humanists International statement on Iran: https://humanists.international/statements/Humanists International grants programme: https://humanists.international/what-we-do/grants/Join or apply for membership — Humanists International: https://humanists.international/members/join/Humanist Alliance Philippines International (HAPI): https://hapihumanist.org/Commission on the Status of Women — UN Women: https://www.unwomen.org/en/cswUN Special Rapporteurs and Special Procedures: https://www.ohchr.org/en/special-procedures-human-rights-councilFollow Humanist International Sign up for our free NewsletterSupport Humanists InternationalFollow our CampaignsAbout - Humanists International Join us at the World Humanists Congress 2026This podcast is produced by Humanise Live. Start your podcast today, visit: humanise.live 🎶Music: Horizon by Simon Folwar Podcast transcripts are AI-generated and may contain errors or omissions. They are provided to make our content more accessible, but should not be considered a fully accurate record of the conversation.

    34 min
  6. How Humanist Legislators Turn Values Into Progress with Lizzi Collinge MP & Heidi Nordby Lunde

    MAR 25

    How Humanist Legislators Turn Values Into Progress with Lizzi Collinge MP & Heidi Nordby Lunde

    Sign up for the Humanists International Newsletter Leon returns from the UN Human Rights Council in Geneva with a concerning update: so-called efficiency measures are cutting special rapporteur reporting with a blunt, one-size-fits-all approach that threatens the most urgent human rights mandates. He also shares news of a landmark European Court of Human Rights case on religious symbols in Greek courtrooms and his published response to Alliance Defending Freedom International in the Oxford Human Rights Hub. Then Gary speaks with two humanist legislators: Lizzi Collinge, Labour MP and chair of the UK All Party Parliamentary Humanist Group, and Heidi Nordby Lunde, Director of Politics at the Norwegian Humanist Association and former Conservative MP for 12 years — on what it means to legislate by humanist values, and how to meet rising religious nationalism with firmness and kindness. In this episode we cover Leon's Human Rights Council debrief - worrying trends in special rapporteur reportingThe Greek courtroom icons case at the European Court of Human RightsWhat it means to be a humanist legislatorHumanists as a political constituency - and why the "belief" in freedom of religion or belief keeps getting forgottenThe rise of religious nationalism in the UK, Norway, and beyondHow well-funded lobbying groups are deliberately sowing division in democratic societiesWhy progress isn't inevitable - and why humanists need to keep showing upJoin Lizzi & Heidi at the World Humanist Congress 2026 in Ottawa References Civil society urges UN member states to strengthen the Human Rights Council — ISHR: https://ishr.ch/latest-updates/civil-society-urges-un-member-states-to-strengthen-the-human-rights-council-during-discussion-on-the-2026-status-review/Leon's blog — An Alternative View on Union of Atheists v Greece: https://ohrh.law.ox.ac.uk/an-alternative-view-on-union-of-atheists-v-greece/UN Special Rapporteurs and Special Procedures: https://www.ohchr.org/en/special-procedures-human-rights-councilConway Hall — home of free thought in the UK: https://conwayhall.org.ukFollow Humanist International Sign up for our free NewsletterSupport Humanists InternationalFollow our CampaignsAbout - Humanists International Join us at the World Humanists Congress 2026This podcast is produced by Humanise Live. Start your podcast today, visit: humanise.live 🎶Music: Horizon by Simon Folwar Podcast transcripts are AI-generated and may contain errors or omissions. They are provided to make our content more accessible, but should not be considered a fully accurate record of the conversation.

    33 min
  7. Humanist Values Are Ideal For This Moment with Andrew Copson

    MAR 18

    Humanist Values Are Ideal For This Moment with Andrew Copson

    Sign up for the Humanists International Newsletter This week, Leon reports live from Geneva at the UN Human Rights Council, where a special session on children in armed conflict brings the human cost of global conflict into sharp focus. Against that backdrop, Gary and Leon reflect on the US military action in Iran and what it means for the international rules-based order. We are then joined by Andrew Copson, Chief Executive of Humanists UK and former President of Humanists International for a decade, for a wide-ranging conversation on leadership, global humanist growth, and why, "humanist values are ideal for our modern, plural world." Andrew speaks candidly about the recklessness of unlawful military action, the promise of a more globally diverse humanist movement, and why coming together in person at the World Humanist Congress still matters more than ever. In this episode we cover Reflections from Geneva and the UN Human Rights CouncilWhat the military action in Iran and means for international law and humanist advocacyAndrew's decade as President of Humanists InternationalDiversifying the board and growing humanism in the global southThe World Humanist Congress 2026 in CanadaThe Resolutions Committee and why humanist declarations matterWhy humanist values are uniquely suited to a plural, interconnected worldFurther reading and references Humanists International Statement on the Crisis in Iran: https://humanists.international/2026/03/crisis-in-iran-opposing-state-repression/UN Human Rights Council: https://www.ohchr.org/en/hr-bodies/hrc/about-councilHumanists International Congress Declarations (including Oslo Declaration on Peace, 2011 and Luxembourg Declaration on AI, 2025): https://humanists.international/congress-declarations/Follow Humanist International Sign up for our free NewsletterSupport Humanists InternationalFollow our CampaignsAbout - Humanists International Join us at the World Humanists Congress 2026This podcast is produced by Humanise Live. Start your podcast today, visit: humanise.live 🎶Music: Horizon by Simon Folwar Podcast transcripts are AI-generated and may contain errors or omissions. They are provided to make our content more accessible, but should not be considered a fully accurate record of the conversation.

    26 min
  8. Inside The UN Human Rights Council

    MAR 11

    Inside The UN Human Rights Council

    Sign up for the Humanists International Newsletter Welcome to Freedom of Thought, the podcast by Humanists International. This week the roles reverse. Instead of interviewing a guest, Leon Langdon becomes the policymaker explaining how Humanists International works inside the United Nations Human Rights Council in Geneva. Leon walks through how the Council functions, why the Universal Periodic Review matters, and what actually happens during a typical session, from negotiating resolutions and delivering statements to meeting diplomats and civil society partners. The episode also explores the growing pressures on the UN system and why civil society organisations remain essential to documenting abuses and defending universal human rights. In this episode we cover What the UN Human Rights Council is and how it worksWhy the Universal Periodic Review (UPR) holds every state to accountThe role of Special Rapporteurs and independent human rights expertsHow Humanists International supports members engaging the UNFreedom of religion or belief debates at the CouncilWhat actually happens during a Human Rights Council session in GenevaFurther reading and references UN Human Rights Council overview:  https://www.ohchr.org/en/hr-bodies/hrc/about-councilUniversal Periodic Review explained: https://www.ohchr.org/en/hr-bodies/upr/upr-homeSpecial Rapporteurs and UN Special Procedures: https://www.ohchr.org/en/special-procedures-human-rights-councilFreedom of religion or belief mandate:  https://www.ohchr.org/en/special-procedures/sr-religion-or-beliefFreedom of Thought Report:  https://humanists.international/what-we-do/freedom-of-thought-report/Follow Humanist International Sign up for our free NewsletterSupport Humanists InternationalFollow our CampaignsAbout - Humanists International Join us at the World Humanists Congress 2026This podcast is produced by Humanise Live. Start your podcast today, visit: humanise.live 🎶Music: Horizon by Simon Folwar Podcast transcripts are AI-generated and may contain errors or omissions. They are provided to make our content more accessible, but should not be considered a fully accurate record of the conversation.

    31 min
  9. Humanism As Resistance with Maggie Ardiente

    MAR 4

    Humanism As Resistance with Maggie Ardiente

    Sign up for the Humanists International Newsletter This week’s episode features a conversation with Maggie Ardiente, President  of Humanists International, reflecting on the global defence of freedom of belief and the role of humanists in resisting rising authoritarianism. Maggie shares the origin story of the Freedom of Thought Report, explaining how early engagement with the US State Department helped ensure discrimination against atheists and humanists was formally documented. What began as a modest advocacy intervention has grown into Humanists International’s flagship annual publication, used by diplomats, policymakers, and civil society organisations worldwide. We also explore how humanists engage international institutions such as the UN Human Rights Council and UNESCO, the growing coordination of nationalist movements across borders, and why coalition-building across beliefs is essential to defending democracy and universal human rights. The episode concludes with a look ahead to the World Humanist Congress in Ottawa and the theme of humanism as resistance. In this episode, we cover The origins and growth of the Freedom of Thought ReportHow documentation translates into international advocacyHumanists working inside the UN Human Rights CouncilWhy cultural expression and media freedom matter at UNESCOThe rise of interconnected nationalist movementsFunding asymmetries in global human rights workWhy coalition-building across beliefs is essentialHumanism as resistance and the World Humanist Congress 2026Further reading and references Freedom of Thought Report:  https://humanists.international/what-we-do/freedom-of-thought-report/UN Human Rights Council overview:  https://www.ohchr.org/en/hr-bodies/hrc/about-councilUNESCO 2005 Convention on the Diversity of Cultural Expressions:  https://www.unesco.org/creativity/en/2005-conventionWorld Humanist Congress 2026: https://humanists.international/event/world-humanist-congress-2026/Follow Humanist International Sign up for our free NewsletterSupport Humanists InternationalFollow our CampaignsAbout - Humanists International Join us at the World Humanists Congress 2026This podcast is produced by Humanise Live. Start your podcast today, visit: humanise.live 🎶Music: Horizon by Simon Folwar Podcast transcripts are AI-generated and may contain errors or omissions. They are provided to make our content more accessible, but should not be considered a fully accurate record of the conversation.

    24 min
  10. Inside The 2025 Freedom Of Thought Report & Blasphemy Laws with Mubarak Bala

    FEB 25

    Inside The 2025 Freedom Of Thought Report & Blasphemy Laws with Mubarak Bala

    Sign up for the Humanists International Newsletter This week's podcast coincides with the publication of the 2025 Freedom of Thought Report, Humanists International’s flagship annual study tracking discrimination and persecution faced by people because of their belief, or lack of belief. We preview key findings from the 2025 edition and discuss wider global trends, including democratic backsliding, religious nationalism, and the instrumentalisation of “religious freedom” to undermine universal human rights. We are also joined by Mubarak Bala, human rights activist and President of the Humanist Association of Nigeria, whose imprisonment became a global symbol in the struggle for freedom of thought. In this episode, we cover What the Freedom of Thought Report is, and how it is compiledWhy the report is used in advocacy at the UN and other international institutionsThe 2025 Key Countries spotlight and what it reveals (Bangladesh, El Salvador, Georgia, Kenya, Lebanon, Malaysia, Malta, Myanmar, Sudan, and the USA) The rise of authoritarianism and how governments use religion to justify repression Blasphemy laws and how they chill freedom of expression and endanger minoritiesMubarak Bala’s story, advocacy today, and why international solidarity still matters Further reading and references New report by Humanists International examines the link between religion and the rise of authoritarianism around the world https://humanists.international/2026/02/new-report-by-humanists-international-examines-the-link-between-religion-and-the-rise-of-authoritarianism/Freedom of Thought Report 2025:  https://humanists.international/what-we-do/freedom-of-thought-report/Mubarak Bala case page:  https://humanists.international/case-of-concern/mubarak-bala/Humanists at Risk: Mubarak Bala:  https://humanists.international/protect/mubarak-bala/Freedom of Thought Report site (country index and downloads):  https://fot.humanists.international/Follow Humanist International Sign up for our free NewsletterSupport Humanists InternationalFollow our CampaignsAbout - Humanists International Join us at the World Humanists Congress 2026This podcast is produced by Humanise Live. Start your podcast today, visit: humanise.live 🎶Music: Horizon by Simon Folwar Podcast transcripts are AI-generated and may contain errors or omissions. They are provided to make our content more accessible, but should not be considered a fully accurate record of the conversation.

    45 min
  11. Reclaiming Humanism As A Radical Defence Of Universal Human Rights

    SEASON 1, EPISODE 1 TRAILER

    Reclaiming Humanism As A Radical Defence Of Universal Human Rights

    Sign up for the Humanists International Newsletter Welcome to Freedom of Thought a new podcast series by Humanists International! In this first episode hosts Gary McLellend and Leon Langdon introduce Humanists International, the global representative body at the heart of the humanist movement, how a global humanist network works inside the UN system, and why universal rights need a louder defence right now.  We share the member‑led model, lessons from the IRF Summit, and what really happens inside the UN Human Rights Council. In this first episode we cover: The formation and ethos of Humanists InternationalOur member‑led structure and global reachLived experience informing advocacyReflections on the 2026 IRF SummitFractures in human rights spaces and how to address themWhat happens inside the Human Rights Council Why start this podcast now and what comes nextWhy attend the World Humanist Congress 2026How to shape the conversation, support us and followFollow Humanist International Sign up for our free NewsletterSupport Humanists InternationalFollow our CampaignsAbout - Humanists International Join us at the World Humanists Congress 2026This podcast is produced by Humanise Live. Start your podcast today, visit: humanise.live 🎶Music: Horizon by Simon Folwar Podcast transcripts are AI-generated and may contain errors or omissions. They are provided to make our content more accessible, but should not be considered a fully accurate record of the conversation.

    20 min

Trailer

Ratings & Reviews

4.4
out of 5
5 Ratings

About

Freedom of Thought from Humanists International is a global news and interview podcast examining the state of freedom of belief, expression, and human rights worldwide. Hosted by Gary McLelland and Leon Langdon, the podcast draws on Humanists International’s flagship Freedom of Thought Report to bring together researchers, human rights defenders, activists, and policy experts to unpack the realities facing humanists, atheists, and non-religious people in different countries and regions. Each episode explores key findings from the report alongside wider developments in international law, politics, and civil society. Through in-depth conversations, case studies, and timely analysis, the show highlights where freedoms are under threat, where progress is being made, and what solidarity and advocacy can achieve. Produced by Humanise Live, Freedom of Thought offers clear, accessible insight into global freedom of thought issues for anyone interested in human rights, secularism, democracy, and evidence-based policy.

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