The Equality and Human Rights Commission (EHRC) is conducting a major research exercise into how well freedom of religion and belief is protected in the UK. The Government is reviewing current legislation and wants to hear about your experiences, both positive and negative. It has tasked EHRC with the job of collecting evidence from a wide range of people.
This is not something that Christians have initiated – the EHRC is inviting us to tell our stories! They are interested to find out if Christians (and those of other faiths) encounter attitudes or environments at work that are hostile or friendly towards their Christian identity and faith.
In the words of the EHRC: ‘ “This will be used to assess how employers and service providers are taking religion or belief into account and the impact this has on individuals. We want to hear about the issues people face and how they find solutions. This research is part of a three-year Commission programme to strengthen understanding of religion or belief in public life, improve knowledge about what happens in practice and ensure that the laws that protect everyone’s right to be treated with fairness, dignity and respect are effective”.’
It’s a great opportunity to help shape the future of freedoms for Christian health professionals in this country – let’s not miss it!
Please take a few minutes to complete the online survey – it’s simple, anonymous and confidential. The questions are wide-ranging and it’s likely that most of us will have something to contribute.
Think about the attitudes and environment you have experienced in your place of work:
- Do you feel free to talk honestly about your Christian experience at work or to comment openly on ethical issues from a Christian perspective if asked?
- Do you feel you could offer to pray for a colleague who is facing a difficult time?
- Have you held back from mentioning your faith in a job application for fear it might harm your chances?
Can you remember times when your Christian convictions led to conflict?
- Have you been asked not to speak about your faith of been disciplined for doing so?
- Have you experienced ridicule or abuse because of the views you hold?
- Have you been asked to act against your Christian convictions in the course of your work, eg. in a way that would undermine God’s pattern for marriage or that would destroy human life?
Can you report good practice and positive experiences?
- Does your workplace safeguard an environment where Christians and members of other faiths are respected and able to talk freely about their beliefs?
- Do your colleagues respect your scruples and avoid asking you to undertake work that would compromise your beliefs?
The survey can be found here.
You could answer the questions as a ‘service user’ or as a ‘service provider’, whichever fits you best.
CMF will be responding to this but your personal stories and experiences will be equally important to the EHRC.
REMEMBER – YOU MUST COMPLETE THE SURVEY BY OCTOBER 31ST
THANK YOU FOR PARTICIPATING!