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Design a poster on religions & beliefs in a workplace

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Design a poster on religions & beliefs in a workplace

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Manual for Human Rights Education with Young people

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What is religion and belief?

Belief is a state of the mind when we consider something true even though we are not 100% sure or able to prove it. Everybody has beliefs about life and the world they experience. Mutually supportive beliefs may form belief systems, which may be religious, philosophical or ideological.
Religions are belief systems that relate humanity to spirituality. The following definition from Wikipedia provides a good overview of the many dimensions of religion:
Religion is a collection of cultural systems, belief systems, and worldviews that relate humanity to spirituality and, sometimes, to moral values. Many religions have narratives, symbols, traditions and sacred histories that are intended to give meaning to life or to explain the origin of life or the universe. They tend to derive morality, ethics, religious laws or a preferred lifestyle from their ideas about the cosmos and human nature. [...] Many religions have organised behaviours, clergy, a definition of what constitutes adherence or membership, congregations of laity, regular meetings or services for the purposes of veneration of a deity or for prayer, holy places (either natural or architectural), and/or scriptures. The practice of a religion may also include sermons, commemoration of the activities of a god or gods, sacrifices, festivals, feasts, trance, initiations, funerary services, matrimonial services, meditation, music, art, dance, public service, or other aspects of human culture. However, there are examples of religions for which some or many of these aspects of structure, belief, or practices are absent.

Beliefs in the spiritual dimension of life have existed since time immemorial. Many human societies have left us historical evidence of their systems of belief, whether it was worship of the sun, of gods and goddesses, knowledge of good and evil or of the sacred. Stonehenge, the Bamiyan Buddhas, the Almudena Cathedral in Madrid, Uluru at Alice Springs, the Bahá'í Gardens of Haifa, Fujiyama, the sacred mountain of Japan, Kaaba in Saudi Arabia or the Golden Temple in Amritsar all bear testament to the human experience of spirituality, which may be an objective reality or a result of the human yearning for an explanation of the meaning of life and our role in the world.
In the simplest sense, religion describes "the relationship of human beings to what they regard as holy, sacred, spiritual or divine". It is usually accompanied by a set of organised practices which foster a community of people who share that faith. As discussed above, belief is a broader term and it also includes "commitments which deny a dimension of existence beyond this world".

Religions and other belief systems in our environment have an influence on our identity, regardless of whether we consider ourselves religious or spiritual or not. At the same time, other parts of our identity, our history, our approach to other religions and groups considered "different" will influence how we interpret that religion or belief system.

Question: What religions are practised in your country?

Religions and related social and cultural structures have played an important part in human history. As mental structures, they influence the way we perceive the world around us and the values we accept or reject. As social structures, they provide a supporting network and a sense of belonging. In many cases, religions have become the basis of power structures and have become intertwined with it. History, remote and recent, is full of examples of "theocratic" states, be they Christian, Hindu, Muslim, Jewish or other. The separation between state and religion is still recent and only partly applied: there are official state religions in Europe and de facto state religions. In most cases this does not pose a particular problem as long as it is tempered by values of tolerance.

Statistics on religion or belief adherents can never be very accurate, considering the dynamic nature of this pattern as well as the fact that many people among us live in contexts where freedom of religion and belief is not enjoyed. The statistics below are, therefore, intended to exemplify the diversity of the global picture. The figures indicate the estimated number of adherents of the largest religions:

The number of secular, non-religious, agnostic and atheists is estimated at 1.1 billion.

Question: Which religions are missing in this list?

Different religions and beliefs have long existed in the European region as well. In some historical periods, Europe has provided refuge to persecuted religious groups and allowed a diversity of religions and beliefs to flourish. At other times, however, European countries have fallen prey to fanaticism and been engrossed in "religious wars", such as the Thirty Years War of 1618-1648 that led to the slaughter of one-third of the continent's population.
The misuse, or abuse, of religious arguments has led to the justification of painful conflicts and wars, persecutions and intolerance. Regardless of how we understand these historical legacies, a wide range of religions and beliefs exist in Europe and they have and continue to have an impact on our societies. In this way, religion and belief are important factors to consider in relation to young people and youth work because, directly or indirectly, they have an impact on young people's identity and sense of belonging.

Freedom of religion or belief in human rights instruments

Everyone has the right to freedom of thought, conscience and religion; this right includes freedom to change his religion or belief, and freedom, either alone or in community with others and in public or private, to manifest his religion or belief in teaching, practice, worship and observance.
Universal Declaration of Human Rights, Article 18

This was later confirmed in the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights as well as in several regional binding human rights documents, such as the African Charter on Human and People's Rights (Article 8) or the European Convention on Human Rights and Fundamental Freedoms (Article 9).
The UN Human Rights Committee emphasises that this freedom is "far-reaching and profound", that it "encompasses freedom of thought on all matters, personal conviction and the commitment to religion or belief, whether manifested individually or in community with others", that the freedom for conscience should be equal to that for religion and belief and that protection is for "theistic, non-theistic and atheistic beliefs, as well as the right not to profess any religion or belief". Accordingly, any serious belief or conviction - whether a person is Sikh, against hunting, pacifist, Mormon, vegan or ideologically driven by activism against climate change - can be protected within this right.

This freedom in international law was historically focused on the religious liberty of minority communities. Today, laws securing freedom of religion and belief are no longer focused on the need to maintain the status quo in order not to undermine regional security, but spotlight a number of concerns including non-discrimination, equality and dignity. Championing this freedom has societal as well as individualist rationales, allowing people the scope to (openly) seek, (vigorously) discuss and (freely) uphold the beliefs that they choose, alone or along with others. Achieving an enabling environment for this freedom requires not only non-interference on the grounds of religion or belief by the state but positive measures to be taken to achieve and maintain such an environment in society at large. In practice, this should include, for example, the possibility to make available places of worship or to provide moral and religious education.

Question: Are you a member of any religious community? How did you get involved?

As with all other human rights, this freedom does not "trump" other freedoms and it sometimes finds itself in tension with other human rights, such as freedom of opinion and expression and freedom from discrimination on the grounds of sex or sexual orientation. This is reflected for example in the way Article 9 of the European Convention on Human rights is structured: there is an absolute protection of the right to religious belief, conscience and thought, but the manifestations only enjoy a qualified protection in so far as they do not violate other human rights.

European Convention on Human Rights and Fundamental Freedoms

Article 9
1. Everyone has the right to freedom of thought, conscience and religion; this right includes freedom to change his religion or belief, and freedom,
either alone or in community with others and in public or private, to manifest his religion or belief, in worship, teaching, practice and observance.
2. Freedom to manifest one's religion or beliefs shall be subject only to such limitations as are prescribed by law and are necessary in a democratic
society in the interests of public safety, for the protection of public order, health or morals, or the protection of the rights and freedoms of others.

Freedom of religion and belief - including freedom to change religion - is essential to all of us, in our search for meaning, our full development, our identity and our expression as members of a community or communities. Whether we have a firm religion or belief, whether we are undecided, or even if we do not really care much for religion or belief, this freedom matters to people and the societies they build.
Are there any communities in your country that do not enjoy the same level of freedom of religion and belief as others?
Challenges to and violations of the freedom of religion or belief

Throughout religious history, many religious and societal features have been embedded in the environment where a particular religion was practised, and they are reflected in culture and politics. Many pieces of literature, poetry, art and music, dress codes and ways of organising life together have been drawn from religions. Religion has made a strong imprint on culture, which can be seen, for example, on holy days, at feasts, in marriage ceremonies, burial practices, pilgrimages, the wearing of religious symbols (e.g. jewellery or dress codes), or in physical alterations to the body, such as male circumcision.
The influence of religions may become even stronger when nations adopt a state religion or religious ideology. In such situations, religion and religious arguments may become confused with the political, economic or social reasoning.

The extent to which freedom of thought, conscience and religion allow distinctive practices of a community of believers to diverge from those of the rest of the society is often debated within the human rights community. Examples of this include attitudes towards women in religious leadership positions, traditional ceremonies involving children, laws surrounding marriage, divorce or burial, prohibition on the depiction of divine beings or other religious figures, and so on.

In such contexts, the human rights bodies would criticise harmful practices, regardless of whether they were traditionally condoned by particular cultures, nations or religions. Such criticism is not an attack on culture, nationality or religion but an attempt to strike a balance between the right to one's religions and belief and other human rights, since several of these practices can result in serious human rights abuse. Harmful traditional practices include female genital mutilation, son-preference (which can manifest itself in sex-selective abortion, failing to care for newborn girls, discrimination in education in favour of sons, discrimination in nutrition), arranged or forced marriages, marriage of children, dowry-related crimes and crimes justified by "honour", exclusion or limitation of some rights of non-adherents to a more powerful religious group in a given community, segregation according to religious lines, and so on. Such practices disproportionately affect women and children: invoking tradition is used to justify discrimination on the basis of gender and age. Furthermore, in several cases, situations which, from a human rights perspective, are a violation of human dignity, remain unrecognised, taboo and unpunished. Few of these practices are based on religious precepts; the fact that they are deeply anchored in culture and tradition do not make ending them any easier. Changes have to come through legislative change, education and empowerment.
Throughout history, religions have played a crucial role in imposing limitations on human action in order to protect the physical and psychological integrity or dignity of other people. Yet, even though religious philosophies have contributed to the development of a conscience of human rights and dignity, the human rights related to religion and belief are no more exempt from the tensions and contradictions that are present in human rights instruments, than are other rights. As seen in the case of harmful traditional practices, sometimes convictions or beliefs are used to justify outright physical harm with severe health consequences.

Question: Are there religious practices in your community/ies that you consider harmful?

Discrimination and intolerance
on grounds of religion or belief

Religious intolerance can be observed at different levels: among adherents of the same religion (intra-religious intolerance); between one religion or religious attitude and another, manifesting itself in various forms of conflicts between persons and groups of persons (inter-religious intolerance); in the form of confrontational atheism or confrontational theism, which are intolerant of free choice and practice of other religions or belief commitments; or in the form of anti-secularism. Religious intolerance is often confused with xenophobia and other forms of discrimination; sometimes it is also used to justify discrimination.
Most human rights violations related to freedom of religion and belief are also related to freedom from discrimination. Discrimination on the grounds of religion and belief is contrary to human rights but it is nonetheless experienced daily by many people across Europe. The fact that religion and belief are often confused with culture, nationality and ethnicity makes it more complicated but also more painful on an individual level: you may be discriminated against on the grounds of religious affiliation even if you happen not to believe in the religion you are associated with.

Discrimination and intolerance impact negatively on society as a whole, and particularly on young people who experience it. Such effects include:

Low self-esteem

Self-segregation

Internalised oppression

Disengagement from school activities

Non-fulfilment of their potential

Attraction to violent extremist ideologies

School drop-out

Health problems / depression

Religious intolerance is also used to feed hatred in, and to contribute to, armed conflicts, not so much because it is the cause of conflict but because religious belonging is used to draw dividing lines, as armed conflicts in the Balkans and Caucasus demonstrate. The consequences of international terrorism and the "wars on terrorism" have been particularly devastating in Europe and beyond, notably because religious intolerance becomes mixed with xenophobia and racism.
No single social group, religion or community has the monopoly of discrimination. Even though the levels of protection of the freedom of religion and belief vary significantly across the member states of the Council of Europe, religious intolerance and discrimination affects everyone in Europe.

Intolerance and discrimination
against Muslims (Islamophobia)

Of particular concern in several European countries is the rise of Islamophobia, the fear and hatred of Islam, resulting in discrimination against Muslims or people associated with Islam. Islam is the most widespread religion in Europe after Christianity and the majority religion in various member states of the Council of Europe. The hostility towards Islam as a religion and to Muslim people, particularly following the "wars on terror", has revealed deep-rooted prejudices against Muslims in many European societies. With the perception of the religion of Islam as being associated only with terrorism and extremism, Islamophobia has contributed to negative views of Islam and Muslims, wrongly generalising militant religious extremism and ultra-conservatism onto all Muslim countries and Muslim people. This intolerance and stereotyped view of Islam has manifested itself in a number of ways, ranging from verbal or written abuse of Muslim people, discrimination at schools and workplaces, and psychological harassment or pressure, to outright violent attacks on mosques and individuals, especially women who wear headscarves. In this context, mass-media has played a role, offering at times representations of Muslim people which were distorted, if not outright stereotyped and defamatory.
Like other victims of discrimination grounded on religious affiliation, discrimination against Muslims may overlap with other forms of discrimination and xenophobia, such as anti-immigrant sentiments, racism and sexism.

Six recurring prejudices about Muslims

All the same: Muslims are seen as all being much the same as each other, regardless of their nationality, social class and political outlook, and of whether they are observant in their beliefs and practice.
All are motivated by religion: It is thought that the single most important thing about Muslims, in all circumstances, is their religious faith. So, if Muslims engage in violence, for example, it is assumed that this is because their religion advocates violence.
Totally "other": Muslims are seen as totally "other": they are seen as having few if any interests, needs or values in common with people who do not have a Muslim background.
Culturally and morally inferior: Muslims are seen as culturally and morally inferior and prone to being irrational and violent, intolerant in their treatment of women, contemptuous towards world views different from their own, and hostile and resentful towards "the West" for no good reason.
Threat: Muslims are seen as a security threat, in tacit or open sympathy with international terrorism and bent on the "Islamisation" of the countries where they live.
Co-operation is impossible: As a consequence of the previous five perceptions, it is claimed that there is no possibility of active partnership between Muslims and people with different religious or cultural backgrounds.
Guidelines for Educators on Countering Intolerance and Discrimination against Muslims, OSCE/ODIHR, Council of Europe and UNESCO.

Anti-Christian sentiments (Christianophobia)

Christianophobia refers to every form of discrimination and intolerance against some or all Christians, the Christian religion, or the practice of Christianity. Like other forms of discrimination based on religion, the perpetrators may be people from other religions - often the majority religions - as much as secular institutions. Hostility against Christians manifests itself in attacks against places of worship, verbal abuse and, particularly in countries where Christians are a minority, restrictions on building and sometimes preserving churches or monasteries.
Particularly worrying is the rise in attacks against Christians in the Middle East. A recommendation of the Parliamentary Assembly on this matter calls, amongst other things, for the need to "raise awareness about the need to combat all forms of religious fundamentalism and the manipulation of religious beliefs for political reasons, which are so often the cause of present day terrorism. Education and dialogue are two important tools that could contribute towards the prevention of such evils".

Question: Have you ever experienced any bias towards you because of your religion or belief? How did you react?

Antisemitism

Antisemitism - hostility towards Jews as a religious or minority group often accompanied by social, economic, and political discrimination - is an example of the combination of racism and religious discrimination. Even though the direct targets of antisemitism are Jewish people, the motivation for discrimination and violence is not necessarily based on Judaism as a religion but on Jews as a people.
Reports from human rights organisations regularly state an alarming rise in the number of antisemitic attacks accompanied, in some countries, by the rise of openly antisemitic speech in the political arena. Events include attacks against Jewish schools, "while Jewish pupils were assaulted, harassed, and injured in growing numbers on their way to and from school or in the classroom, including by their classmates. Educators report that the term "Jew" has become a popular swearword among youngsters." Rather than being confined to extremist circles, Antisemitism is thus increasingly being mainstreamed.
In its Recommendation No. 9 on the fight against Antisemitism, adopted in 2004, the European Commission Against Racism and Intolerance recommends, amongst others, member states to ensure that criminal law penalises antisemitic acts such as:
public incitement to violence, hatred, discrimination, public insults, defamation and threats aimed at a person or a grouping of persons on the grounds of their actual or presumed Jewish identity or origin
the public expression, with an antisemitic aim, of an ideology which depreciates or denigrates a grouping of persons on the grounds of their Jewish identity or origin
the public denial, trivialisation, justification or condoning, of the Shoah and of crimes of genocide, crimes against humanity or war crimes committed against persons on the grounds of their Jewish identity or origin
the desecration and profanation, with an antisemitic aim, of Jewish property and monuments
the creation or the leadership of a group which promotes Antisemitism.

Religious intolerance and discrimination is not limited to Antisemitism, Christianophobia or Islamophobia. Among the many forms of discrimination is the non-recognition of some religions and the difference of treatment between them. Religions and systems of belief can thus be banned, persecuted or closely controlled because of their alleged "sectarian" nature or their irrelevance on the grounds of being "insignificant".
It is important to recall that freedom of religion and belief includes the right to change religion and the right not to adhere to, or declare, a religion.

Question: What happens if you decide to adopt a religion different from your family and community?

Despite the growing and widespread manifestations of religious intolerance, it is important to bear in mind that religion and human rights are perfectly compatible and that only a human rights framework can secure freedom of religion and belief for all.
The history of Europe is, indeed, full of examples of violence and barbarity in the name of religion. These acts have been and are being committed by men and women, not commanded by religious precepts, but by people.
Fortunately, the history and the reality of our world is also a living evidence of the optimism of religious diversity: no single society is mono-religious and no single system of thought has ever prevailed, even under the most extreme forms of totalitarianism. Furthermore, the examples of people accepting each other despite religious difference, and often united in diversity, are many more than those of intolerance.

The work of the Council of Europe

The Council of Europe, White Paper on Intercultural Dialogue "Living Together as Equals in Dignity" (2008) recognises that a range of religious and secular conceptions of life have enriched the cultural heritage of Europe and notes the importance of inter-religious, intra-religious and other dialogue for the promotion of understanding between different cultures. It also emphasises that the Council of Europe "would remain neutral towards the various religions whilst defending the freedom of thought, conscience and religion, the rights and duties of all citizens, and the respective autonomy of state and religions".
Promoting religious tolerance and inter-faith dialogue is also one of the priorities of the Council of Europe's youth policy. A number of events organised under the All Different - All Equal campaign in 2007-2008 developed recommendations and action plans for promoting inter-religious dialogue in European youth work, including the Istanbul Youth Declaration on Inter-Religious and Intercultural Dialogue in Youth Work, and the Kazan Action Plan. All of these documents stress the crucial role of young people and youth organisations in contributing to the change towards religious tolerance.

The sphere of education may be a platform for tensions of human rights related to religion and belief, as in cases where the educational content has been criticised as limiting the freedom of religion and belief, or in cases where religious symbols used by schools or by students have resulted in conflicts. At the same time, education is also one of the most important spheres of life where stereotypes and prejudices can be counteracted. In this spirit, ODIHR, the Council of Europe and UNESCO published the Guidelines for Educators on Countering Intolerance and Discrimination against Muslims. This document is intended to support teachers, teacher trainers, education policy experts as well as non-governmental organisations active in the field of non-formal education in their work against Islamophobia.

Religion and belief at the European Court of Human Rights

Folgerø and others v. Norway (2007)
Parents successfully appealed to the court in Strasbourg to avoid mandatory religious classes of one particular denomination of Christianity. The court found that the state was in violation of Article 2 of Protocol no. 1, which reads, "No person shall be denied the right to education. In the exercise of any functions which it assumes in relation to education and to teaching, the State shall respect the right of parents to ensure such education and teaching in conformity with their own religious and philosophical convictions".

Lautsi v. Italy (2011)
Ms Lautsi's children attended a state school where all the classrooms had a crucifix on the wall, which she considered contrary to the principle of secularism by which she wished to bring up her children. She complained before the Court that this was in breach of Article 9 (freedom of thought, conscience and religion) and of Article 2 of Protocol No. 1 (right to education).
The Court found no violation; it held in particular that the question of religious symbols in classrooms was, in principle, a matter falling within the margin of appreciation of the state, provided that decisions in that area did not lead to a form of indoctrination and there was nothing to suggest that the authorities were intolerant of pupils who believed in other religions, were non-believers or who held non-religious philosophical convictions.

Ercep v. Turkey (2011)
This case concerned the refusal by the applicant, a Jehovah's Witness and conscientious objector, to perform military service for reasons of conscience and his successive convictions for that reason.
The Court found a violation of Article 9 and a violation of Article 6 (right to a fair trial). It
invited Turkey to enact legislation concerning conscientious objectors and to introduce an alternative form of service.

The Framework Convention on the Protection of National Minorities also protects religion as an element of the identity of minorities, "The Parties undertake to promote the conditions necessary for persons belonging to national minorities to maintain and develop their culture, and to preserve the essential elements of their identity, namely their religion, language, traditions and cultural heritage" (Article 5) and prohibits forced assimilation.

Youth work and religion and belief

Religion is an issue that many young people deal with in their daily lives at home, in public, at work or at school. Youth work can help to make religious differences a factor of cultural enrichment for young people instead of being a source of confrontation, especially through the lenses of mutual understanding, tolerance and acceptance of difference.

Whether working at a local, regional or international level, youth workers need to be aware of the potential role and influence of religion and belief on the process of any given activity, as well as on the planned objectives of the activity. Accepting diversity is a good starting point; building on diversity as a source of strength is an excellent way to continue. A growing number of youth organisations are actively working in the field of inter-religious dialogue, promoting a dialogue between equals, and being self-critical of their own religious traditions, with the aim of increasing understanding.

Taking into consideration differences of belief and practice within the group, before and during the activity, can contribute to a better atmosphere in the group from the start. Knowing about some of the rituals and practices of different religions can be very useful and important for the good functioning and success of youth events. Consideration of dietary laws, places and times for prayer, the religious calendar and daily practices of different religious groups (e.g. the Sabbath, Friday prayers, Ramadan, Sunday celebrations, holidays) might help the organisers of youth activities provide a respectful and peaceful atmosphere as well as avoid problems of travel and of timing and efficiency of activities. The particularities of the place of the activity and the expectations of the hosting environment are equally important, in order to show respect for the needs of the group participants.
A degree of sensitivity towards religious diversity within the group would create a certain positive and motivating attitude and curiosity towards the religious practices and beliefs of others. This might also help to promote mutual respect and understanding, while helping to overcome any strong prejudices related to religious beliefs and practices.

Question: What importance does religious tolerance have in your work with young people?

There is a large amount of youth work that is faith-based, and there are many faith-based youth organisations. The Council of Europe's youth sector works closely with a variety of international youth organisations that are faith-based and encourages co-operation among them. Study sessions and training activities at the European Youth Centre regularly include organisations such as:

Ecumenical Youth Council in Europe

European Alliance of YMCAs

European Baha'i Youth Council

European Fellowship of Christian Youth

European Union of Jewish Students

Forum of European Muslim Youth and Student Organisations

International Federation of Catholic Youth Organisations

International Movement of Catholic Agricultural and Rural Youth Europe

International Young Catholic Students - International Movement of Catholic Students

Islamic Conference Youth Forum for Dialogue and Co-operation

Pax Christi Youth Forum

Syndesmos - World Fellowship of Orthodox Youth

Syriac Universal Alliance

The European Young Women's Christian Association

World Student Christian Federation

Some of these organisations got together within the framework of the European Youth Forum and constituted the Faith-Based Group of youth organisations in order to learn about each other, promote diversity and fight discrimination and hatred. Integrated by the European Peer Training Organisation, the European Union of Jewish Students, the Ecumenical Youth Council in Europe, the Forum of European Muslim Youth and Student Organisations, the International Federation of Catholic Youth Organisations, the International Movement of Catholic Students, Pax Christi International and the World Student Christian Federation, the Expert Group produced, in 2008, a Tool Kit on inter-religious dialogue in youth work - Living Faiths Together. The Tool Kit, published by the European Youth Forum, provides information about monotheistic religions and proposes several methodologies and activities to understand and de-construct prejudices and stereotypes related to religion and to promote inter-religious dialogue. The tool kit may be downloaded from the Internet site of the European Youth Forum ( www.youthforum.org) or from the site of the co-operating organisations.

Endnotes

1 http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Religion (accessed on 9 July 2012)
2 Religion (2007) Encyclopædia Britannica at: www.britannica.com/eb/article-9063138
3 LindaWoodhead, with Rebecca Catto: "Religion or belief": Identifying issues and priorities. Equality and Human Rights Commission, 2009, p. iii: www.equalityhumanrights.com/uploaded_files/research/research_report_48__religion_or_belief.pdf
4 Major Religions of the World Ranked by Number of Adherents: www.adherents.com/Religions_By_Adherents.html
5 General Comment 22 of the UN Human Rights Committee on Article 18 of the ICCPR
6 OSCE/ODIHR, Council of Europe, UNESCO, Guidelines for Educators on Countering Intolerance and Discrimination against Muslims, 2011
7 FAIR (Forum Against Islamophobia and Racism), available at: www.fairuk.org/introduction.htm
8 Recommendation 1957 (2011) of the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe "Violence against Christians in the Middle East"
9 OSCE-ODIHR and Yad Vashem, Addressing Anti-Semitism: Why and How? A Guide for Educators, 2007
10 Council of Europe, White Paper on Intercultural Dialogue "Living together as equals in dignity", Launched by the Council of Europe Ministers of Foreign Affairs at their 118th Ministerial Session (Strasbourg, 7 May 2008), p. 23, available at: www.coe.int/t/dg4/intercultural/Source/Pub_White_Paper/White%20Paper_final_revised_EN.pdf See also San Marino Declaration of 2007
11 www.coe.int/t/dg4/education/edc/Source/Pdf/Coordinators/2006_14_CDED_ReligiousDiversity.pdf
12 "Istanbul Youth Declaration on Inter-Religious and Intercultural Dialogue in Youth Work", Symposium Inter-religious and Intercultural Dialogue in Youth Work, Istanbul, Turkey, 27-31 March 2007: www.coe.int/t/dg4/youth/Source/Resources/Documents/2008_Istanbul_Declaration_en.pdf
13 "Kazan Action Plan", International Youth Forum "Intercultural Dialogue and its Religious Dimension", Kazan, Republic of Tatarstan, Russian Federation, 30 November - 4 December 2008: www.coe.int/t/dg4/youth/Source/Resources/Documents/2008_Kazan_Action_Plan_en.pdf
14 Guidelines for Educators on Countering Intolerance and Discrimination against Muslims, OSCE/ODIHR, Council of Europe, UNESCO, 2011: www.coe.int/t/dg4/education/edc/resources

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Belief is a state of the mind when we consider something true even though we are not 100% sure or able to prove it. Everybody has beliefs about life and the world they experience. Mutually supportive beliefs may form belief systems, which may be religious, philosophical or ideological.

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Understanding religions & beliefs in a workplace.

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Understanding religions & beliefs in a workplace.

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Belief is a protected characteristic under the Equality Act 2010. This means that a person cannot be discriminated against because of, or lack of, their belief.

In guidance, belief gets grouped together with religion. However, unlike religion, belief is not as clearly defined. This understandably can be a source of confusion for some people.

Phrases like "I don't believe it" are common in everyday situations, but when do they go from being an expression of amazement to a genuine statement of fact?

This comes down to philosophical belief. In short, a philosophical belief will be a genuinely held belief concerning human life and behaviour and be worthy of respect in a democratic society.

This is a complex area of employment law, and employers must take care when handling situations concerning belief to avoid claims of discrimination.

Looking at some recent Employment Tribunals, we can see examples of how belief has been managed in the workplace. We can distinguish between situations that were found to be discriminatory and those which weren't.

The Equality Act lays the foundation for how such cases are decided and is crucial for understanding compliance.

The Equality Act 2010

Since 2010, the Equality Act has provided the legal framework for protecting individuals from unfair treatment.

To fully protect your employees and business, it is critical to understand the Equality Act as well as ensuring that your workplace culture is actively inclusive.

Under the Equality Act, there are nine characteristics that are legally protected from discrimination. These are:

Age

Disability

Gender reassignment

Marriage and Civil partnership

Pregnancy and maternity

Race

Religion or belief

Sex

Sexual orientation

Managing people problems concerning any of these can be risky if the correct procedures are not followed. Especially when more than one protected characteristic is concerned.

Employers should read The Equality Act 2010 in full and seek professional HR advice when applying it to their business.

Cultivating a community of mutual respect in the workplace, through policies and behaviours, not only reduces risk of discrimination, but can improve both well-being and productivity.

Examples of philosophical beliefs at work
Ethical veganism
In January last year, Jordi Casamitjana won an unfair dismissal claim against his employer, the League Against Cruel Sports. They had dismissed him on the grounds of gross misconduct. Mr Casamitjana had cited his ethical veganism as the reason for his actions.

Judge Robin Postle ruled that the claimant's ethical veganism was a philosophical belief and therefore protected under the Equality Act from discrimination.

For comparison, just three months prior to this ruling, a similar case took place concerning vegetarianism, which was found not to be a philosophical belief.
Gender critical beliefs
Last month Maya Forstater won an Employment Appeal Tribunal against her employer the Centre for Global Development (CGD). They did not renew her contract due to her expressed gender critical beliefs that sex is immutable.

The ruling from Judge Choudhury stated that the claimant's belief was widely shared and did not seek to destroy the rights of trans persons. Employers must still seek to provide a safe environment for trans employees and investigate cases of purposeful misgendering.

This case looked at belief alongside freedom of expression, and the ruling suggests that an opinion does not always result in the harassment or discrimination of others.

Managing beliefs in the workplace

These examples show how easily philosophical belief can be misunderstood in the workplace, and how jumping to conclusions can escalate to a tribunal.

Conversations and investigations should take place with an employee to fully understand a situation concerning belief. When it comes to deciding if and what action to take, or making sense of the law, don't forget that we're here to help.

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Understanding philosophical beliefs in the workplace - The HR Dept

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Belief is a protected characteristic under the Equality Act 2010. This means that a person cannot be discriminated against because of, or lack of, their belief. In guidance, belief gets grouped together with religion. However, unlike religion, belief is not as clearly defined. This understandably can be a source of confusion for some people.

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Managing religion & belief in the workplace.

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Managing religion & belief in the workplace.

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Despite the behaviour of some in parliament recently, the UK is, we must hope, a tolerant and respectful society with some of the most comprehensive anti-discrimination laws in the world. That said, the place of religion in the workplace is still regularly tested in tribunals and courts across the UK, with many people contending they experience discrimination because of their (or others') religious or other beliefs.

It is against the law for an employer to discriminate against anyone because of their religion or belief. This can range from well-established faiths to a belief in the BBC. However, while it is accepted that people with such beliefs should not face discrimination, beliefs do not always trump the demands of the employer. To complicate matters, many employers face allegations of indirect discrimination that can arise from seemingly harmless requirements, such as a dress code stating that employees are not able to display facial hair or wear anything that covers their face.

Indirect discrimination is a form of discrimination that can be justified. Not surprisingly, this is where many of the arguments arise. An employee may say that they are religious, for example, but an employer may say that wearing a long-flowing religious garment in an environment where that may cause a serious trip hazard is prohibited.

Likewise, it would not be unreasonable to argue that a teacher should refrain from covering their face in the classroom on the basis that seeing a teacher's mouth and facial expressions aids a child's education. As ever, justification comes down to managing the competing interests of the employer and the employee and any other relevant individuals.

Our laws place an obligation on businesses to be conscious of the effect their decisions may have on people of differing religions or beliefs. Further, if an employee says they have been adversely affected by a decision or policy because of their religion or belief, employers should think carefully about whether turning the request down would be disproportionate. Many employers attempt to put in place blanket bans - this is dangerous, and inflexibility is not welcomed by employment tribunals.

There are several easy steps you can take to lessen the risk of discriminating against your staff.

Make sure work events are inclusive - Not surprisingly, it is good practice to ensure that a range of foods and non-alcoholic drinks are offered at work events, and that any foods offered are clearly labelled to allow staff to be able to easily identify what they can or can't consume. Consult with your staff. With the festive season coming up, start your planning now.

Be aware of harassment towards or from employees and take a zero-tolerance approach - Educating employees about discrimination and what may constitute harassment, and encouraging them to respect each others' different beliefs, will likely help prevent inappropriate behaviour. Equally, if you face a claim, tribunals are always interested in what level of training you have given your managers and staff to raise awareness of these issues. In the event that such behaviour does occur, you should respond to evidence or complaints in a timely manner and ensure such behaviour is not tolerated. You should be mindful that organisations will be found to be responsible for religious discrimination carried out by their employees unless they can show they did everything they reasonably could to prevent it.

Be respectful of an employee's practices - Some religious groups may be required to pray during work hours. Where possible, you should assist this by designating a suitable space to be used, such as a meeting room. It is not a difficult or onerous requirement and failing to accommodate this could cause problems. Similarly, while time off for a religious holiday is normally taken out of annual leave, it may be possible for employees to allow 'swaps' of holiday, where - for example - an employee works on a public holiday related to the Christian calendar in exchange for receiving a holiday in their religious calendar as leave.

As ever, knowing what your employees require, listening and acting will go a long way to maintaining an engaged - and non-litigious - workforce.
J ames Tait is a partner at Browne Jacobson

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Managing religion and belief in the workplace

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Despite the behaviour of some in parliament recently, the UK is, we must hope, a tolerant and respectful society with some of the most comprehensive anti-discrimination laws in the world. That said, the place of religion in the workplace is still regularly tested in tribunals and courts across the UK, with many people contending they experience discrimination because of their (or others') religious or other beliefs.

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What is discrimination because of religion or belief

It is against the law to discriminate against you because of your religion or belief. This applies:

when you buy or use goods and services

What does religion or belief mean

You are protected by law from discrimination because of your religion or belief if you:

belong to an organised religion such as Christianity, Judaism or Islam

have a profound belief which affects your way of life or view of the world. This includes religious and philosophical beliefs, or a lack of belief, such as Atheism

take part in collective worship

belong to a smaller religion or sect, such as Scientology or Rastafarianism

have no religion, for example, if you are an atheist.

The law against discrimination because of religion or belief does not cover purely political beliefs unless they are also philosophical beliefs.

You are protected if someone discriminates against you because they think you are a certain religion, when you are not. For example, it's against the law for someone to discriminate against you for wearing a headscarf because they think you are a Muslim, even if you are not actually Muslim.

Discrimination by association is also against the law. For example, it is against the law to refuse to let you into a restaurant because of the religion of someone who is with you.

What is discrimination

It is discrimination to treat you unfairly compared to someone else, because of your religion or belief. This is called direct discrimination and is illegal. Examples include:

refusing you a bank loan because you're Jewish

refusing to allow you into a restaurant because you're Muslim

dismissing you from work because you're Rastafarian.

You may be able to make a complaint if you have suffered direct discrimination because of your religion or belief.

For more information about direct discrimination, see Direct discrimination.

It is also illegal for someone to have a rule, policy or practice which someone of a particular religion or belief is less likely to be able to meet than other people and this places them at a disadvantage. This is called indirect discrimination.

Examples of indirect discrimination might include:

refusing to allow you into a restaurant if you're wearing a hijab or turban

requiring all your employees to dress in a particular way if this means they can't wear an item of clothing they regard as part of their faith.

If you have suffered indirect discrimination because of your religion or belief, you may be able to make a complaint about it. However, if the person or organisation you are complaining about can show there are genuine reasons for the rule, policy or practice and that it has nothing to do with your religion or belief, this won't count as discrimination.

For example, it might not be discrimination if your employers need you to dress in a particular way for health and safety reasons - such as a firefighter needing to wear a helmet in dangerous situations, even if it means removing a turban.

For more information about indirect discrimination, see Indirect discrimination.

Victimisation

Discrimination can take the form of victimisation. This is where you're treated worse than someone else because you've complained or taken legal action about religious discrimination. It is also victimisation if you're treated unfairly because you've supported someone else taking action, for example, if you act as a witness in someone else's discrimination case.

For more information about victimisation, see Victimisation.

Physical or verbal abuse because of religion or belief

It's a criminal offence to attack you because of your religion or belief, or because of your lack of religion. This includes both physical and verbal abuse.

Someone is also committing a criminal offence if they stir up hatred of a particular religious group. For example, if they publish or distribute racist information or information designed to stir up religious hatred.

If one of these criminal offences is committed against you or your family, you should report it to the police.

Check how to report a hate crime or incident to the police.

If you don't want to go to the police, check what support you can get if you've experienced a hate crime or incident.

For more information about Hate crime see Hate crime.

Religious discrimination in the workplace and training

You are protected from religious discrimination in your workplace. This means you are protected:

whatever your religion or belief

whatever your employer's religion or belief

whether you are already working for your employer

whether you are applying for a job.

Discrimination at work because of your religion or belief could include:

dismissing you because of your religion

advertising for job applicants of one religion only

requiring you to dress in a certain way, for example, requiring all women to wear a short skirt. This would not be acceptable for women of several different religions

requiring you not to wear sacred items. For example, a Sikh man might be required to remove their kara (symbolic bracelet). However, if the employer can justify this on health and safety grounds, this wouldn't count as discrimination

making you work at times that you cannot work because of your religion

victimisation

bullying at work because of your religion. This is also known as harassment

Before you take any action, you should check if your problem at work is discrimination.

If you experience discrimination at work because of your religion or belief, you may be able to make a complaint. This includes raising a grievance with your employer or making a claim to an employment tribunal. However, in some circumstances, it might be possible for your employer to show that there were genuine business, or health and safety reasons for the way you have been treated which have nothing to do with your religion or belief. If this is the case, it won't count as discrimination.
For example
I'm Jewish and need to take Friday afternoons off work in winter to get home before dark and prepare for the Sabbath. At the moment, my boss is happy to let me do this and make up the time during the rest of the week. However, he is thinking of introducing a new shift pattern, which means I will not be able to do this any more. Can he do this?

It is against the law to discriminate against a worker because of their religion or belief. So, if your employer is introducing a new shift pattern which will be difficult for you because of your religion, it may be that you are the victim of discrimination because of religion. Your employer would have to justify why it is essential for you to work on Friday afternoons. He must be able to show that he has tried to meet your needs but that for business reasons you still need to work on Friday afternoons. Otherwise, his behaviour towards you may count as discrimination because of your religion.

Victimisation at work because of your religion or belief

Victimisation happens when you are treated worse than someone else at work because you've complained, or taken legal action, about religious discrimination. It is also victimisation if you are treated unfairly because you've supported someone else taking action, for example, if you act as a witness in someone else's discrimination case.

Examples of victimisation at work could include:

being labelled a trouble-maker

being denied promotion or training opportunities

being ignored by your work colleagues

being given a poor reference.

People at work are always making fun of one of my colleagues who is a Jehovah's Witness and always reading the Bible in her coffee breaks. I tried to tell them to stop and now they are saying spiteful things about me too. My life at work has become a misery. Is there anything I can do?
If the reason you are being victimised is because you complained about religious discrimination, this is against the law. You should get expert advice about how to tackle the problem.

Bullying at work because of your religion or belief

It is against the law for someone to bully you at work because of your religion or belief. This is known as harassment. The person bullying you may be your employer or it may be a colleague. Someone is bullying you if you find their behaviour towards you offensive, frightening, degrading, humiliating or in any way distressing. It may be intentional or unintentional.

It is also against the law for someone to bully you at work because of your religion or belief, even if they are mistaken about what it is. For example, if you are attacked at your workplace by someone who has assumed, wrongly, that you are a Muslim because of your appearance. You will not have to say what your religion actually is in order to do something about this.

What can I do if I am being treated unfairly or bullied at work?

If you are being treated unfairly or bullied at work because of your religion or belief, take action as quickly as possible. You could try:

telling the person to stop

telling your manager or someone else higher up in the organisation

talking to your personnel department or trade union.

If none of these things work, you may wish to raise a grievance and think about making a claim to an employment tribunal.

There are strict time-limits and procedures for making a claim to an employment tribunal. If you think you may need to do this, you should get advice, for example, from a Citizens Advice office. To search for your nearest Citizens Advice, including those that can give advice by email, click on nearest Citizens Advice.

For more information about what you can do about discrimination because of your religion at work, including making a claim to an employment tribunal, see What can I do if my employer treats me unfairly because of religion or belief? In Employment fact sheets.

For more information about taking out a grievance at work, see Sorting out problems at work.

Training

It's against the law to refuse to provide training opportunities to you because of your religion or belief, or to provide them in a way which puts you at a disadvantage to other people because of your religion or belief. This includes:

any training designed to prepare you for employment

career guidance

training facilities

practical work experience provided by an employer to someone who doesn't work for them

assessing someone for a professional or trade qualification.

Religious discrimination when providing goods, facilities or services

It's against the law for anyone providing goods, facilities or services directly to the public to discriminate because of religion or belief.

Examples of organisations which provide goods, facilities or services include:

pubs, restaurants and hotels

shops

cinemas and theatres

hospitals and clinics

estate agents, private landlords and local authority housing departments

banks, building societies, insurance companies and finance companies

railway stations, bus stations and airports

churches and other places of worship

charities and voluntary organisations

government departments, local authorities, courts and tribunals, police officers and prisons

welfare services such as housing advice, day-care or community care.

For example, it's against the law for a pub or restaurant to refuse to serve you, or for a hotel to refuse to give you a room because of your religion or belief, or what they think your religion or belief is.

For more examples of organisations which provide goods, facilities and services, see the Equality and Human Rights Commission website at: www.equalityhumanrights.com.

Someone providing goods, facilities or services must not:

refuse to provide you with them because of your religion or belief

discriminate in the way any of these things are provided because of your religion or belief.

It is illegal to discriminate regardless of how the goods and services are provided or whether you have to pay for them or not.

For example, it's illegal for someone to discriminate against you when you're buying something in a shop or over the internet, when you're making a telephone enquiry or when someone gives you written information.

Advertising

With a few limited exceptions, it's illegal to publish an advert for goods, facilities or services which discriminates because of religion or belief, or which advertises discriminatory services.

If an advertisement like this is published, the Equality and Human Rights Commission can take court action against the publisher, if the case is referred to them by an advice agency.

Charities

It is not illegal for a charity to provide services and benefits only to people of a certain religion or belief.

This means that they can exclude people of other religions or beliefs. The aims of the charity must be set out in their constitution or rules.

For example, a charity may be set up to provide day-care services for members of the Jewish community. This isn't illegal as long as this is what the charity's constitution says they are there for.

Religious organisations

Certain religious organisations may be allowed to discriminate against people of different religions. This includes faith schools. The organisation must not be commercial, that is, it must be non-profit-making. The discrimination must be necessary:

for meeting the organisation's religious aims, or

to avoid offending those who share its religious aims.

I run a church youth club. Am I allowed to restrict membership of the club to practising Christians or is this discrimination?
As long as your club isn't a commercial business and if your aims are to further the Christian belief amongst young people, you are allowed to refuse membership to young people who are not Christians.

Religious organisations are allowed to discriminate by stopping people of other religions or of no religion:

from becoming members

from taking part in the organisation's activities

from using the goods and services they offer

from using their premises.

Welfare services

In certain circumstances, some organisations are allowed to provide welfare services only to people of a particular religion or belief. This includes things like:

hostel accommodation

housing advice services

day care services.

Organisations are allowed to do this where it can be shown that it leads to a greater take-up of the service, or improves service delivery.

What you can do about religious discrimination by someone providing goods, facilities or services

The quickest way to sort out your problem is to put your concerns in writing to the company or organisation involved. Find out if there is a complaints department and send your letter or email there. If there's no complaints department, find out the name of a manager or other senior person responsible for the service which discriminated against you and write to them. Your letter or email should include:

all the facts, including the date or dates when the discrimination took place

why you believe discrimination took place

if there were any witnesses, giving their details

what you would like the company or organisation to do about the problem

what you are going to do if the problem isn't sorted out within a certain time-limit.

If this doesn't work, you could try:

following the company or organisation's formal complaints procedure, if they have one. Most large companies and all public bodies such as local authorities, government departments and health authorities will have formal complaints procedures

complaining to the organisation's trade association, if they belong to one. The association may be able to put pressure on them to sort out your problem, or they may offer a conciliation or arbitration service which could help you reach an acceptable solution.

complaining to the relevant Ombudsman. All public bodies such as local authorities, government departments, health authorities and social landlords have an Ombudsman, as well as financial institutions such as banks and building societies

taking a case to the county court (sheriff court in Scotland). You must start a case within six months of when the discrimination happened. If you're successful, you might get compensation.

For more information about Ombudsmen, see How to use an Ombudsman.

Any course of action may be complicated and may make your life more uncomfortable in the short-term. There may also be costs involved, particularly if you use a solicitor to represent you. If you are thinking about taking legal action, you should consult an experienced adviser, for example, at a Citizens Advice Bureau. To search for your nearest Citizens Advice office, including those that can give advice by email, click on nearest Citizens Advice.

Religious discrimination in schools and colleges

It's against the law for a school or college to discriminate because of religion or belief when it decides on who should be accepted as a pupil or student. This applies to both state and independent schools and colleges. However, it doesn't apply to faith schools. Once you have been accepted as a pupil or student at the school or college, it's against the law for them to discriminate against you because of your religion or belief. For example, you can't refuse to let someone be a prefect, give them detention or extra homework just because of their religion or belief.

School uniform

Rules about school uniform must not discriminate against you because of your religion. For example, if you're a young Sikh man, you must be allowed to wear a turban at school as this is part of your faith.

However, this doesn't mean that a school has to allow all items of religious dress. Schools can have a uniform policy which prevents pupils wearing certain things. They might, for example, do this for health and safety reasons.

The curriculum

The law about religious discrimination does not apply to what is taught in schools (the curriculum). For example:

a school is allowed to teach evolution theories even if these theories go against the religious views of some parents

it isn't against the law for religious education lessons in schools to teach mainly about Christianity. However, teachers must also take into account the other main religions. This doesn't apply to faith schools.

My family is Hindu. I am upset because my daughter has to go to religious education classes at school where Hinduism is hardly mentioned. This seems to be discrimination against Hindus as Christianity is mentioned a lot.
The classes have to reflect the fact that religious tradition in this country is mainly Christian. However, they also have to take into account the other main religions and individual classes can be about other religions. Try talking to your child's teacher about the problems you are experiencing. But if you can't manage to sort out the problem, there is probably no legal action you can take.

Collective worship (school assemblies)

In a community or foundation school, acts of collective worship, such as assemblies, must be of a general Christian nature. However, they must not reflect any one particular type of Christianity, for example, Catholicism.

In a faith school, which is a voluntary or foundation school, collective worship must reflect the faith of the school.

Faith schools

There are certain areas of the law about discrimination because of religion and belief which don't apply to faith schools or colleges.

For example, faith schools and colleges have the right to discriminate because of religion when they decide who to accept as a pupil or student. They can choose to give priority to pupils who share their own faith over other pupils. However, it's against the law for them to leave places unfilled if there aren't enough pupils of their own faith to fill them.

Once you have been accepted as a pupil or student at the school or college, it's against the law for them to discriminate against you because of your religion or belief. For example, a Catholic school is not allowed to exclude a pupil who started off as a Catholic and then converts to a different faith.

However, faith schools and colleges are allowed to restrict certain services and benefits that they offer to pupils sharing the faith of the school or college, or can offer them in a different way. For example, faith schools are allowed to:

organise trips for pupils who follow the faith of the school to their local church or religious shrine. They don't have to organise similar visits for children of other faiths within the school

say that only pupils who share their faith can read aloud certain religious texts during assembly

mark or celebrate their own religious events or traditions without having to do the same for children of other faiths within the school.

What can you do about discrimination because of religion or belief in education

You can make a complaint about discrimination by a school, college or university in your local county court (sheriff court in Scotland).If your complaint is about a school, you should first try to resolve your complaint by talking to the school's headteacher. If you are still unhappy, you can then take your complaint to the school's governing body.

For more information about how to complain about a school, see Sorting out school problems.

If your complaint is about a college or university, you should first use the institution's own complaints procedure. If you are complaining about a further education college funded by the Skills funding Agency you could also complain to the Agency. Information about how to do this is available on the Agency's website at: www.gov.uk/government/organisations/skills-funding-agency.

If your complaint is about a university in England or Wales, you could take your complaint to the Office of the Independent Adjudicator (the OIA).The OIA can be contacted at:

Third Floor
Kings Reach
38-50 King's Road
Reading
RG1 3AA
Tel: 0118 959 9813
Website: www.oiahe.org.uk.

If you have a complaint about a university in Scotland, you should complain to the Scottish Public Services Ombudsman at: www.spso.org.uk.

For more information about how to use an ombudsman in Scotland and when to use one, see How to use an ombudsman or commissioner in Scotland.

If you want to make a complaint about discrimination by a school, college or university, you should get advice from an experienced adviser, for example, at a Citizens Advice Bureau. To search for your nearest CAB, including those that can give advice by e-mail, click on nearest CAB.

Religious discrimination in housing

If you think you're being discriminated against by your landlord or someone else involved in your housing, you should check if your housing problem is discrimination.

For information about discrimination in housing, see Discrimination in housing.

Other types of discrimination

As well as discrimination because of your religion, you could be treated unfairly for other reasons.

For example, you're a Turkish Muslim woman and you're sacked because you're pregnant. You may have a claim for race and pregnancy discrimination as well as religious discrimination. If you think you've been treated unfairly for more than one reason, make sure you mention all the reasons if you make a complaint.

For more information about discrimination, see our discrimination pages.

Further help

The Equality Advisory Support Service (EASS)

If you have experienced discrimination, you can get help from the EASS discrimination helpline.
More about the EASS helpline
The Equality and Human Rights Commission (EHRC)

You can find useful information about discrimination on the EHRC website at www.equalityhumanrights.com.

Law centres

A law centre can offer free legal advice if you want to take a case for religious discrimination. If a solicitor from a law centre represents you, you may be entitled to legal aid.. In England and Wales, details of the nearest law centre are available from the Law Centres Network, and in Scotland from the Scottish Association of Law Centres.

England and Wales

Law Centres Network
Floor 1, Tavis House
1-6 Tavistock Square
London
WC1H 9NA

Tel: 020 3637 1330 (admin only)
Email: contact form available on the website
Website: www.lawcentres.org.uk

Free Representation Unit (England)

The Free Representation Unit (FRU) can provide representation for people on a low income and living in the London area. However, the FRU is a voluntary organisation and representation in cases cannot be guaranteed. If you want help from the FRU, you must be referred in writing by an advice agency once the date of a hearing has been set. The agency must be an FRU subscriber. Some Citizens Advice local offices in the London area subscriber to the FRU. To search for your nearest Citizens Advice, including those that can give advice by email, click on nearest Citizens Advice.

The FRU can be contacted at:

6th Floor
289 - 293 High Holborn
London
WC1V 7HZ

Tel: 020 7611 9555
Fax: 020 7611 9551
Email: available through a form on the website
Website: www.thefru.org.uk

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Discrimination because of religion or belief

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Taking action about discrimination on the grounds of religion or belief, explaining when it is unlawful or not unlawful and organisations which can help.

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6 steps to respecting and accommodating religion in the workplace.

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6 steps to respecting and accommodating religion in the workplace.

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6 Steps to Respecting and Accommodating Religion in the Workplace | Traliant

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Organizations provide a more fulfilling experience for employees when they support the practice of religion, spirituality and beliefs at work.

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Everyday examples of religion in the workplace.

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Everyday examples of religion in the workplace.

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Everyday Example: Religion in the Workplace

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Some people might think there's no place for religion at work, but you have protected rights to act on your beliefs. See an example of some do's and don'ts about what's acceptable in the office and how to respond when others think differently.

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Religious Diversity in the Workplace - Religious Diversity | Knowledgecity.com

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Religious discrimination in the workplace.

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Religious discrimination in the workplace.

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Employment Law: Religious Discrimination in the Workplace