1. Sonja Albertine Jeannine Eggerickx was born on 8 February 1947 and is a Belgian secular Humanist who was president of the International Humanist and Ethical Union, now Humanists International, a position she held for nine years until stepping down in 2015.
Sonja Eggerickx worked from 1992 until her retirement in 2012 as a Senior Schools Inspector in Moral Education.
Sonja Eggerickx became active in the Humanist movement through her work as a teacher of secular ethics and was editor of MORES, a humanist magazine for teachers.
Sonja Eggerickx is President of the federation of Flemish Humanist organisations in Belgium.
Sonja Eggerickx was elected vice-president of the IHEU in 2002 and president in April 2006 in New York, becoming the organisation's first woman President.
Sonja Eggerickx has argued against the predominance of Catholic education in the Belgian school system, in favour of secularism and non-denominational schooling.
Sonja Eggerickx has an interest in featuring and raising the profile of women within the Humanist movement.
Sonja Eggerickx has been vocal in condemning anti-gay laws and discrimination throughout the world.
Sonja Eggerickx has spoken out publicly against Sharia law and supported the One law for all campaign against Sharia law in the United Kingdom, launched at the House of Lords, London, in 2008.
Sonja Eggerickx was involved in launching The Freedom of Thought Report, published annually since 2012 on International Human Rights Day, which examines the treatment of non-religious people, atheists and freethinkers across the member states of the United Nations.
Sonja Eggerickx is a patron of Pink Triangle Trust, an educational charity which aims to educate LGBT men and women about Humanism and will educate Humanists and the wider public about LGBT rights and homosexuality.