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Biennial Conference Tokyo, 25–28 November 2026 Programme and tickets →
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A world federation for the right to die.

We are a global federation of right-to-die societies. We campaign for the right to die with dignity.

Our mission.

Everyone should have the right to die with dignity, peacefully and without suffering.

We believe that, whatever their nationality, profession, religious beliefs or ethical and political views, everyone who fully understands the consequences of their wish to die, and who takes into account the reasonable interests of others, should have access to a peaceful death at the time of their choosing.

We want a world in which all people

  • have the right to die with dignity, peacefully and without suffering;
  • are able to make their own choices about death, while taking into account the reasonable interests of others;
  • are able to make their well-considered end-of-life decisions in a safe and peaceful environment, supported by the law.

How we drive change.

  • Promote the right to a dignified death

    We advocate that people should be able to choose how and when they die, with peaceful and pain-free end-of-life options.

  • Unite and support right-to-die societies

    We link national societies in more than 30 countries, so that they can share resources and campaign together.

  • Inform and educate

    We provide information, research, definitions and educational resources on assisted dying and end-of-life care.

Our work in action

  • Education

    We share current information and educational material about self-determined end of suffering and life, and other end-of-life issues, with groups, scholars and individuals who ask for it.

  • International collaboration

    We hold international conferences to promote cooperation between member societies, and draw on the experience of professionals already lawfully helping people to die.

  • Establishing new societies

    Where asked, we help groups and individuals set up right-to-die societies in countries that do not yet have one.

  • Advocacy and activism

    We support member societies' requests for publicity-seeking activities, including civil disobedience, in their own countries.

  • Influencing legislation

    We link networks of lawyers working in this area of law, so that experience from court cases can help member societies draft new laws or change assisted dying laws.

Our story.

The federation grew out of three international meetings, called by societies that had each been working alone.

  1. 1976

    Tokyo

    On founding the Japan Euthanasia Society (now the Japan Society for Dying with Dignity), Dr Tenrei Ota calls the first international meeting of the existing right-to-die societies.

  2. 1978

    San Francisco

    A second international conference is hosted by the US-based Society for the Right to Die.

  3. 1980

    Oxford

    At a third conference, hosted by Exit, the Society for the Right to Die with Dignity, the World Federation of Right to Die Societies is founded and its mission set.

  4. Today

    Around the world

    Since 1980 the federation has met every two years, in a different city each time, and has grown to more than sixty member societies.

A world conference every two years.

Our member societies meet every two years to exchange news and views, elect the federation's directors and officers, and conduct other business.

Next conference 2026

Tokyo, Japan

November 2026. Fifty years after the first international meeting, the federation returns to Tokyo.

Conference website →
  1. 1976 Tokyo, Japan The first international meeting
  2. 1978 San Francisco, USA The second international meeting
  3. 1980 Oxford, UK The federation is founded
  4. 1982 Melbourne, Australia
  5. 1984 Nice, France
  6. 1986 Bombay, India
  7. 1988 San Francisco, USA
  8. 1990 Maastricht, Netherlands
  9. 1992 Kyoto, Japan
  10. 1994 Bath, UK
  11. 1996 Melbourne, Australia
  12. 1998 Zurich, Switzerland
  13. 2000 Boston, USA
  14. 2002 Brussels, Belgium
  15. 2004 Tokyo, Japan
  16. 2006 Toronto, Canada
  17. 2008 Paris, France
  18. 2010 Melbourne, Australia
  19. 2012 Zurich, Switzerland
  20. 2014 Chicago, USA
  21. 2016 Amsterdam, Netherlands
  22. 2018 Cape Town, South Africa Videos
  23. 2020 Mexico Cancelled because of COVID-19
  24. 2022 Canada Hosted by Dying With Dignity Canada Videos Slides
  25. 2024 Dublin, Ireland Hosted by End of Life Ireland Videos
  26. 2026 Tokyo, Japan Next conference

Our member societies.

The federation links right-to-die societies around the world, so that they can share resources and campaign together.

See all our member societies (64) →

Our statutes.

The rules the federation is run by. They were last revised at the 2018 business meeting in Cape Town, South Africa.

Read our statutes (PDF) →

More about the federation

Our monthly email.

One email a month with news from member societies: law changes, research and events.

Newsletter Signup

Keep up with the latest legislative changes, research, and upcoming events in the right to die movement. Subscribe to our newsletter to receive curated updates from our member societies across 30+

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