1. Equality Body Strategies: The Equinet Perspective on the Ground of Religion and Belief By Niall Crowley

2. Context The place of religion in society One single dominant religion More than one major religion Secular perspective The situation of religion in society Growing religious diversity in contexts of immigration Decreasing practice of religion. Challenge to the position of a single dominant church

3. Context The experience of religion Religion as a source of conflict Religion as a focus for security issues and anti-terrorism action Disadvantage for and discrimination against minority religions Equality bodies and the ground of religion and belief A growing agenda Backlash and media framing

4. Issues @ Religion Dominant Issues: Hostile public and internet discourse – Islamophobia and anti- Semitism The accommodaton of religious practices and the wearing and use of religious symbols. Key settings: Education - Access to schools, teaching and practice of religion in schools, religion and school ceremonies, opting out of activities on ground of religion, and faith schools Employment – Job refusal, promotion and dismissal and job requirements in conflict with religious beliefs.

5. Issues @ Belief Issues: Home births Vegetarianism Veganism Compulsory vaccinations Membership of a political party Settings: Education, health care and service settings, and political appointments

6. Strategies Priority High – growing casework, growing hostility, lack of understanding by employers and service providers Middle – no hierarchy between grounds Low – limited casework, limited religious diversity, limited public discourse Ambition Non-discrimination Reasonable accommodation Equality

7. Strategies Push Factors Increasing demand from claimants and from employers and service providers Changing composition of societies Increasing public hostility Putting in place a strategy on the ground of religion or belief Positive duties in equal treatment legislation

8. Strategies Limiting Factors Low levels of reporting Lack of Court decisions on the ground of religion or belief Limited scientific debate and work on this ground Lack of consensus and networking around shared issues among stakeholders Limited interest and understanding from employers and service providers Sensitivity of the ground of religion or belief

9. Actions Legal Principal intervention Growing levels of casework Under-reporting & Low level of concluded case law Promotion Guidance material Employer training Seminars Stakeholders seeing little benefit in taking action

10. Actions Communication Highlighting casework Calls for evidence Dialogue Limited engagement between equality bodies and religious communities Research Employment: Reasonable accommodation, religious tolerance, discrimination against Muslims Education: Education and religious affiliation, provision of education for minority religions Lack of data

11. Actions Policy Education Right to wear religious symbols in educational establishments; Obligatory attendance at religion classes and provision of ethics classes; Religious ethos exemptions for schools; and Integrated education Position and rights of minority religions in society

12. Conclusions Equality bodies A horizontal approach that allows for significant specific action on the ground of religion or belief and on the intersection between this ground and other grounds. Further develop work on and share experiences around the ground of belief Raise the ambition to pursue equality, reasonable accommodation and non-discrimination and explore these different elements Equinet Support equality bodies in pursuing this growing agenda

13. Conclusions Member States Develop equal treatment legislation to: Define religion and belief Require employers and service providers to make reasonable accommodations Review and amend religious ethos exemptions European Commission Implement the horizontal Directive Develop standards for equality bodies Sustain the focus and build on the October Colloquium