Humanists International’s submission to the Special Rapporteur was informed by member contributions from around the world, including formal submissions by Humanists Ideas Ambassadors (Lithuania), Humanists Malaysia, and Humanists UK, alongside additional input from members in Colombia, Denmark, Malta, New Zealand, and Nigeria. Collectively, these perspectives painted a global picture of how religious dominance continues to limit freedom of religion or belief at life’s end.
The submission outlined how, in many societies, funerary and burial practices remain heavily controlled by religious institutions or shaped by laws derived from religious norms. In Colombia, for example, most burial sites are operated by the Catholic Church, making it difficult for non-religious families to hold ceremonies free from religious symbolism. In Lithuania, a regulation requiring the use of coffins for cremations has restricted humanists who prefer shrouds for environmental or personal reasons, while in Denmark, “humanistic” funerals often still take place in chapels owned by the National Church.
Humanists International also documented best practices that can serve as models for inclusion and equality. Denmark’s growing number of “forest burial” sites have allowed religious and non-religious individuals to be buried side by side according to their own beliefs. Similarly, Sweden’s first cemetery entirely free of religious symbols, opened in 2016, provided an example of state–civil society cooperation in ensuring neutrality and shared space.
Beyond issues of burial, the submission explored the social stigma and discrimination that many humanists and atheists face after death, especially in contexts where family or community pressure overrides an individual’s non-religious wishes. In Nigeria, for instance, humanist funerals have been obstructed by religious relatives, sometimes deliberately excluding non-religious friends or groups from the process.
The submission further examined end-of-life decision-making, noting that laws rooted in religious morality, such as prohibitions on assisted dying, can infringe on the right to freedom of belief by forcing individuals to die in accordance with values they do not share. Inequitable access to secular funeral services, especially between urban and rural areas or across socioeconomic divides, was also identified as a key barrier.
Finally, Humanists International urged states to consult with non-religious organizations when shaping policies concerning death and memorialization. During the COVID-19 pandemic, few governments consulted humanist groups on funeral restrictions, even though such policies directly affected how non-religious people could honor their dead.
The organization called on governments to recognize humanist and non-religious ceremonies in law, ensure equal access to burial and cremation facilities, uphold end-of-life wishes, and protect freedom of expression in memorialization. It also emphasized the need for public education to normalize secular funerals and to foster understanding of how dignity, equality, and choice must extend beyond life itself.
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