Sign up for the Humanists International NewsletterWelcome 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 coverWhat 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 referencesUN 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 InternationalSign 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 FolwarPodcast 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.