Religions and religiously-inspired laws discriminate against women. Secular activism can help to empower women. And, whether you are a woman or a man, you can help to shape the future of secular activism and women’s rights around the world by coming to Dublin this June.
Following our successful sell-out World Atheist Convention in the same venue in June 2011, you can register now for Atheist Ireland’s international Conference on Empowering Women Through Secularism, in the O’Callaghan Alexander Hotel in Dublin, Ireland, on the weekend of 29-30 June 2013.
You will hear and meet and socialise with inspiring speakers and panelists and conference participants from around the world. You will help to shape strategies for positive change, and vote on an international Declaration on Empowering Women Through Secularism.
We will discuss how religion and religiously-influenced laws discriminate against women in areas from healthcare, sexuality and reproductive rights to education, careers and social policy, as well as how to combat violence against women and the history and future of women in atheist and secular activism.
If you register now, you can attend all sessions of this important Conference at an early discount price of just €100. There will be optional extra charges for meals and entertainment, and we will recommend hotels and other accommodation that you can book.
To reserve your place today, or for further information, please email wsconference@atheist.ie
Speakers will include
- Ivana Bacik, Irish Senator and member of Atheist Ireland
- Dan Barker, Freedom From Religion Foundation, USA
- Ophelia Benson, author and commentator, USA
- Ann Brusseel, Member of Flemish Parliament, Belgium
- Mairin de Burca, writer and secularist, Ireland
- Jane Donnelly, Education Policy Officer Atheist Ireland
- Carlos Diaz, President Atheist Alliance International, Argentina
- Annie Laurie Gaylor, Freedom From Religion Foundation, USA
- Anthea McTiernan, reproductive rights activist and journalist
- PZ Myers, science professor and blogger, USA
- Maryam Namazie, Council of Ex-Muslims in Britain, Iran
- Taslima Nasrin, novelist and activist, Bangladesh and India
- Michael Nugent, Chairperson Atheist Ireland
- Nina Sankari, Polish Rationalist Association
- Farhana Shakir, lawyer and legal consultant, Pakistan
- Kate Smurthwaite, comedian and activist, Britain
- Anne Marie Waters, One Law for All Campaign, Britain
- Rebecca Watson, Skepchick network, USA
Topics will include
- How religions discriminate against women
- How religiously-influenced laws discriminate against women
- The history of women in atheist and secular activism
- Healthcare, sexuality and reproductive rights
- Education, careers, and social policy
- Combatting violence against women
- Political strategies, media and building coalitions
- The future of women in atheist and secular activism
- Declaration on Empowering Women Through Secularism
Delegate participation
As well as listening to speakers and panelists, this conference will be an active one for delegates who want to participate. Most sessions will be panel discussions with short contributions by the speakers followed by audience interaction. We will also be debating and voting on an international Declaration on Empowering Women Through Secularism.
Conference venue
The Dublin Conference will be held in the O’Callaghan Alexander Hotel, located in central Dublin 2 within strolling distance of Grafton Street, Merrion Square, Trinity College and Dail Eireann.
Atheist Alliance International
Atheist Ireland is affiliated to Atheist Alliance International, a global federation of atheist and freethought groups and individuals, committed to educating its members and the public about atheism, secularism and related issues. Atheist Alliance International will be holding its 2013 Annual General Meeting in Dublin alongside the Dublin Conference.
CFI Women in Secularism
The Dublin Conference is not the only one you can attend this year on this topic. In America, the Center for Inquiry is holding another Women in Secularism Conference on 17-19 May in Washington DC. Please consider attending either or both of these conferences. The more we take coordinated action around the world, the greater will be the impact of our secular activism.
Register Now for just €100
If you register now for the Dublin International Conference on Empowering Women Through Secularism, you can attend all sessions for an early discount price of just €100! Please note that there will be optional extra charges for meals and entertainment.
To reserve your place today, or for further information, please email wsconference@atheist.ie
Yay! Is there any info on the regular AAI conference happening alongside it?
Excellent line-up, should be a great event. However, I can’t help but feel it is slightly blighted by the presence of PZ Myers. As a Humanist, it is impossible for me to agree with his behaviour and how he treats people, it is antithetical to Humanism. How he won Humanist of the year is beyond me. He openly admits to being hostile to anyone he labels an ‘idiot’, This includes, not just religious detractors, but also many women involved in secularism.
PZ Myers spends a lot of his time lecturing women in secularism already, but I just hope its not a sermon from the ivory tower ( ala Pharyngula). Wonder will he use the opportunity to extol the virtues of all secular women ? Women like Ayan Hirsi Ali ( the ex muslim feminist and atheist activist who Mr. Myers agreed was one of the 5 worst atheists), TED fellow Sara Mayhew, writer Paula Kirby, science writer and virologist Abigail Smith. Hopefully he can forget his squabbles with them and recognize their place and validity and maybe stop demonising people who don’t agree exactly with him.
Abigail Smith has taken a prominent part in a two-year hate campaign against Rebecca Watson, Ophelia Benson, PZ Myers and others. Ayaan Hirsi Ali has chosen to associate herself with the far-right liars of the American Enterprise Institute, and has advocated converting Muslims not to atheism, but to Christianity. But please, Peter Ferguson and Cian, don’t let the truth cramp your own hate campaign against PZ Myers.
<Lets all rejoice at pushing on open doors. Atheist Ireland has free thought.. within narrow parameters .
Nick, as I never mentioned Abigail Smith or Ayaan Hirsi Ali it would be wise not to attribute somebody else’s comments to me.
Abbie Smith has spent the last two years conducting award winning virology research. She most certainly has not been taking a prominent part in a hate campaign against anyone.
I have to disagree with those people who believe P.Z. Myers’ presence cheapens the conference. What with Meyers’ recent missteps including accusing Michael Nugent of providing a haven for rapists, his frequent participation in smear jobs and moral panics, as well as his own rather sordid history of strange sexual obsessions and even accusations of sexual impropriety with students, I predict Meyers will not do much mingling. Rather, he tippy-toe around, give his own rather poorly attended talk, and then spend the remainder of his time holed-up in his hotel room watching Ice Station Zebra on a continuous loop, collecting his urine in mason jars and generally railing against all his unseen misogynist enemies conspiring under the bed.
And then go home and sort you all out like a vengeful god on his little blog.