Humanists International has called on the European Commission to appoint a Special Envoy for freedom of religion or belief (FoRB) with a strong human rights background.
In an open letter, CEO Gary McLelland raised concerns about the current appointment process, noting that the FoRB Envoy is a high-level role focused on a single right, separate from the broader EU human rights mandate. McLelland highlighted the need for a qualified human rights expert following criticism of a previous envoy, who had ties to anti-abortion and anti-LGBTI+ groups.
The organisation stressed that the next envoy should uphold the universality and interdependence of human rights and have no affiliations that could undermine equality and inclusion.
You can read the letter and learn more here: