EHRC religion or belief work:reflections on the policy

dimension

Dr David PerfectResearch Manager

Equality and Human Rights Commission

Outline of presentation• EHRC activities on religion or belief• EHRC research on religion on belief• AHRC religion or belief research: Linda Woodhead• AHRC religion or belief research: Paul Weller• Dissemination and follow-up work• Recent and ongoing policy work drawing on

research• Conclusions

EHRC activities on religion or belief• EHRC statutory responsibility for religion or belief and

other equality strands since 2007; National Human Rights Institution since 2009. No previous statutory body covers religion or belief

• Interventions in legal cases and legal publications • Specialist research reports and statistical work• Policy work with stakeholders and publications• Religion or Belief Network (currently 613 members)• EHRC Research Database (currently 2,712 members)• Most Network/Database members academics or

researchers, but others are policymakers and stakeholders; information regularly sent to members

EHRC research on religion or belief• Four commissioned research reports since 2009:

Woodhead with Catto (2009); Woodhead (2011); Weller (2011); Donald (2012). All available on EHRC website

• First three have strong links to AHRC research: - Professor Linda Woodhead was Director of AHRC/ESRC

Religion and Society Programme (2007-13) and both her projects for EHRC part of Programme work

- Dr Rebecca Catto was Programme Research Associate - Professor Paul Weller research for EHRC part of initial

work for larger AHRC research project• Other commissioned research, e.g. Bond et al (2009);

in-house research and statistical reports, e.g. Perfect (2011)

AHRC research by Linda Woodhead: 1• Jan 2009: Woodhead commissioned through

competitive research tender to identify EHRC religion or belief priority areas and gaps in research evidence

• EHRC collective knowledge of issues then very limited; academic expertise essential to help focus our work

• 3 expert seminars bring together academics, practitioners, policymakers and EHRC staff to discuss key topics; seminars organised by Lancaster University

• Dec 2009: report published. Disseminated in early 2010 via Database newsletter and Network bulletin

• Feb 2010: Woodhead organises EHRC expert seminar on report (speakers include Weller)

AHRC research by Linda Woodhead: 2• 2010: Woodhead commissioned to examine recent

research on religion, discrimination and good relations as part of AHRC/ESRC Religion and Society Programme

• Methodology includes review of projects within Programme and survey of members of the EHRC’s Religion or Belief Network

• Effective methodological approach provides useful evidence quickly and cheaply

• May 2011: report published by Lancaster University on EHRC’s behalf. Includes brief summaries of research studies and publication details to widen our knowledge of relevant research on this issue

AHRC research by Paul Weller• 2010: Weller commissioned to examine nature of

religious discrimination between 2000 and 2010• Builds on earlier work for EHRC and forms initial

component of larger 2010-13 AHRC project• Early access to Woodhead report facilitated by

EHRC to allow evidence to be discussed in Weller as well

• June 2011: research report published. Press coverage focuses on interview with then EHRC Chair, Trevor Phillips, rather than key findings

• Report examines gaps in research and statistical evidence and outlines proposals to reduce these

Dissemination and follow-up work

• June 2011: dissemination of Weller and Woodhead research via Religion or Belief Network newsletter

• June 2011: Research Database newsletter highlights religion or belief work; summarises both reports. Religion or belief Reading List also published

• Weller and Woodhead studies extensively cited in EHRC report on religion or belief, equality and human rights in England and Wales (Donald, 2012)

• Perfect (2011): EHRC statistical briefing on religion or belief draws on sources on discrimination suggested by Weller; Weller (2011) includes data from EHRC briefing

• Weller report used to address internal inquiries

Recent policy work• Feb 2013: EHRC publishes two guidance documents

on recent European Court of Human Rights judgment about religious rights in the workplace. One provides legal explanation; the other a guide for employers

• Draft documents circulated to Weller, Woodhead and other academics (as well as stakeholders); comments considerably strengthen final documents

• Feb-Apr 2013: Dialogue events organised by Goldsmiths for EHRC to debate key religion or belief issues; project led by Professor Adam Dinham. Attended by range of stakeholders and key academic input into process as speakers, facilitators and participants

Ongoing policy work• 2013-14 EHRC programme of work on religion or

belief underway. Includes discussions with range of religion or belief stakeholders and production of guidance documents aimed at employers, trade unions and religion or belief stakeholders

• Draft guidance documents will be circulated to selected academic experts and stakeholders for comment

• Academic input into proposed associated work on caste

• New Weller report and book findings will be disseminated to Religion or Belief Network members

Conclusions• Close links with academic experts an essential

aspect of EHRC work on religion or belief. EHRC draws on: a) research reports by experts b) academic contributions to stakeholder events c) comments on draft policy documents d) provision of informal advice and suggestions by key contacts

• Religion or Belief Network allows mutually beneficial exchange of research information; Research Database newsletters ensure dissemination of EHRC research to wider research and policy communities

• Good academic and policy collaboration critical to better evidence-based policy and better research!

Contact details• Dr David Perfect/Religion or Belief Network

david.perfect@equalityhumanrights.com• EHRC research

research@equalityhumanrights.com• Religion or belief guidance documents

http://www.equalityhumanrights.com/advice-and-guidance/your-rights/religion-and-belief

• Goldsmiths dialogue events reportshttp://www.religiousliteracy.org/https://sites.google.com/site/religiousliteracy2/ehrc-dialogues