It's a pleasure to be of help, any time, please feel free to ask.

Regards
Mannie.




Mannie Kusemamuriwo
Policy Adviser: Ethnicity & Cultural Diversity
Equality Challenge Unit
3rd Floor, 4 Tavistock Place
London  WC1H 9RA

Tel 020 7520 7063
Fax 020 7520 7069
[log in to unmask]



-----Original Message-----
From: Virginia Wainwright [mailto:[log in to unmask]]
Sent: 25 July 2002 11:07
To: [log in to unmask]
Subject: Re: Religion


Dear Mannnie

Thanks as ever for the helpful and considered response.

Thanks also to the other respondents who have sent useful links and
other information.

Regards,

Virginia

On Wed, 24 Jul
2002 16:51:43 +0100 Emmanuell Kusemamuriwo
<[log in to unmask]> wrote:

> Dear Virginia,
>
> Thanks for your response and further request. I would like to commend
> the
> fact that you are looking at Equality and Diversity issues for your
> institution. This is a practice that I would advise all institutions to
> adopt, though it is pertinent to point out that when we do this, we must
> make sure that all the areas that constitute equality and diversity, are
> being addressed, equally,fairly and squarely. This needs to be
> effectively
> and consistently done otherwise we are in danger of making diversity
> into a
> "comfortable" conscience assuaging way of still implementing some
> institutional discriminatory practices. The only way of assuring true
> diversity is by underpinning it with equality and from an explicit
> point of
> view where we can actually show evidence of mainstreaming diversity
> within
> institutional practice. This also takes it out of the idiosyncratic box
> of
> "it's not my responsibility" to acknowledging that if it is a mainstream
> institutional responsibility,then we all have to identify where our
> responsibilities, accountabilities and liabilities are in being
> expected to
> practically reflect this institutional commitment.
>
> Religion and sexual orientation, though intended to be legislated for,
> by
> December 2003, could be considered, with all the other areas of intended
> legislation (Disability adjustments, by October 2004 and Age, by
> December
> 2006)as areas of working towards institutional best practice. I think it
> would be much more comfortable and practical, for institutions to start
> considering now, instead of waiting till the legislation demands it,
> how we
> can embrace all these Equality and Diversity areas into our current
> institutional practice. We certainly would not want to go through the
> same
> experiences as we are, under the RRAA.
>
> In order to effectively do this and to answer your query on religion, we
> could use the RRAA template, as based on the CRE Statutory Code of
> Practice
> and Guides. All we would need to do is substitute the word race for the
> word
> religion and the rest is relative. I know there are some issues
> concerning
> the official categories etc. which I think legislation will define, but
> we
> could start thinking around the whys, whats, whens, and with whoms,
> around
> religion. We could also start to monitor, in order to build up a
> picture of
> what religions we have in our institutions, centring our thinking
> around the
> RRAA template. After all equality and diversity is about establishing
> the
> needs of our employees and learners so that we can effectively address
> them.
> This is the spirit that the law is trying to promote through its
> letter. So
> in the end, whether certain religions are defined as legal or not, it
> might
> still be useful for us as institutions, to find out what religious
> beliefs
> exist in our institutions, in order for us to be able to effectively
> address
> any challenges that may arise.
>
> I do accept that these are complex issues that will be very demanding
> and
> taxing but I do not think that this is a good enough reason for us not
> to
> "grasp this nettle" as some of us might see it. Also we have each other
> to
> work with and I am sure with our sum total, we will "know a man/woman
> who
> can"
>
> Monitoring religion also raises issues of staff support and/or training
> that
> can only be provided by appropriate trainers who are aware of the
> issues and
> how they should be addressed effectively and sensitively, so as to
> benefit
> and not alienate those of us who will need to implement the various
> consultation, communication and monitoring strategies.
>
> The other issues to consider of course are that certain religious groups
> like Muslims, Jews and Sikhs are already covered by the RRAA,
> indirectly for
> Muslims and directly for the other two, because they are also minority
> ethnic groups.
>
> A word of caution, can colleagues please desist from using the word
> "ethnic"
> as a substitute for "black and minority ethnic groups." Not only can
> this be
> offensive and insulting to some people but also we must remember that
> all
> religions are either minority ethnic or majority ethnic since we all
> belong
> to different ethnic backgrounds, it really depends where you happen to
> be,
> geographically.
>
> As far as religious practices and the curriculum are concerned, then my
> advice would be for institutions to find out about practices and what
> material is available, from the appropriate religious groups, contact
> numbers and addresses can be made available, as Mohammed Dhalech from
> Oxford
> has already done. When it comes to safeguarding the rights of those who
> have
> no religious beliefs and dealing with beliefs that conflict with
> legislation, then I would advocate that we are guided by best practice
> intentions under what British equality law dictates. This way diversity
> will
> indeed and truly be based on equality, fairness and justice, under
> British
> law and not on what individuals think should happen.
>
> Any comments are most welcome.
>
> Regards
> Mannie.
>
>
>
> Mannie Kusemamuriwo
> Policy Adviser: Ethnicity & Cultural Diversity
> Equality Challenge Unit
> 3rd Floor, 4 Tavistock Place
> London  WC1H 9RA
>
> Tel 020 7520 7063
> Fax 020 7520 7069
> [log in to unmask]
>
>
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From: Virginia Wainwright [mailto:[log in to unmask]]
> Sent: 23 July 2002 13:58
> To: [log in to unmask]
> Subject: Re: Religion
>
>
> Dear Mannie
>
> Thanks for this helpful response; however I would like to ask you
> whether there is any good practice guidance available currently for
> the HE Sector concerning religion as an equality and diversity issue.
>
> I am trying to develop this section of our Equality and Diversity
> Strategy at present and would appreciate guidance on the following in
> particular:
>
> how to monitor on religion - which categories to use, particular
> sensitivities;
> issues concerning ethnic and non-ethnic religious minorities;
> issues concerning observance and the need to provide adjustments in
> terms of working practices and the curriclum;
> safeguarding the position of those with no religious belief;
> issues concerning religious beliefs that conflict with equality and
> diversity aims in other areas - eg, the position of women, gays,
> lesbians and transsexuals.
>
> Your advice would be appreciated.
>
> Virginia
>
>
> On Mon, 22 Jul 2002 13:20:02 +0100 Emmanuell Kusemamuriwo
> <[log in to unmask]> wrote:
>
> > Please Sarah, do not forget that women in UK Plc. today are from
> diverse
> > backgrounds. We only need to look at the social picture from an
> > ethnicity,
> > gender, religion, sexual orientation,disabilities and age point of
> view
> > to
> > see what disadvantages people are liable to suffer and how those
> > disadvantages can overlap for everyone. To only acknowledge and
> address
> > some
> > disadvantages without others would be like addressing part of a person
> > instead of the whole person.
> >
> > We therefore need to remind any trainer/s that we work with, of these
> > equality and diversity dictates because they can be sometimes left out
> > of
> > the "holistic agenda" which we must adopt if we are to do our best to
> > truly
> > address the disadvantages that women face in the UK today, without
> > condoning
> > and indeed perpetrating some inequalities ourselves, directly or
> > indirectly,
> > either by commission or omission. We need to be explicit before we can
> > be
> > satisfied that what we think is implicit, is indeed.
> >
> > It is therefore very important for us to be satisfied (however we go
> > about
> > doing this) that the trainer/s we get to do the job, will be able to
> > deliver
> > on this holistic approach to the disadvantages being faced by ALL
> women,
> > rather than by only some women.
> >
> > Mannie.
> >
> > Mannie Kusemamuriwo
> > Policy Adviser: Ethnicity & Cultural Diversity
> > Equality Challenge Unit
> > 3rd Floor, 4 Tavistock Place
> > London  WC1H 9RA
> >
> > Tel 020 7520 7063
> > Fax 020 7520 7069
> > [log in to unmask]
> >
> >
> >
> > -----Original Message-----
> > From: Felicity Hunt [mailto:[log in to unmask]]
> > Sent: 18 July 2002 09:10
> > To: [log in to unmask]
> > Subject: Re: Women into Leadership Training
> >
> >
> > Sarah, and the list
> >
> > We have found that Anne Gold at the Institute of Education runs some
> > very
> > effective courses on women into management and leadership. They have
> > been
> > well
> > received here. She is involved in similiar courses, run
> > internationally, for
> > the Association of Commonwealth Universities.
> >
> > Her contact details are:
> > Anne Gold
> > Management Development Centre
> > School of Educational Foundations and Policy Studies
> > Institute of Education, University of London
> > 58 Gordon Square
> > London WC1H ONU
> > Phone: ++ (0)207 612 6422
> > Fax: ++ (0)207 612 6919
> >
> > Email: [log in to unmask]
> >
> > The Springboard Consultancy (personal and professional development for
> > women)
> > has also developed an interesting women and leadership/senior
> management
> > course called Spring Forward. Their website is at
> > http://www.springboardconsultancy.com/
> >
> >
> > Felicity Hunt
> >
> >
> >
> >
> > Sarah Lewis <[log in to unmask]> on 17/07/2002 14:09:03
> >
> > Please respond to HE Administrators equal opportunities list
> >       <[log in to unmask]>
> >
> > To:   [log in to unmask]
> > cc:    (bcc: Felicity Hunt/PER/Central-Admin)
> >
> > Subject:  Women into Leadership Training
> >
> >
> >
> >
> > I am planning to run one or two programmes of Women into Leadership
> > training
> > and development in the Autumn.  (This will be positive action to
> > try to redress the paucity of women in more senior posts.)
> >
> > Has anyone any information they can share on such programmes they have
> > run
> > i.e. content, method of selection, eligibility ...
> >
> > Can anyone reccomend trainers they have used for such work (gender
> > equality,
> > career progrssion, confidence boosting !)
> >
> > Many thanks
> >
> > Sarah
> >
> > Sarah Lewis
> > Equal Opportunities Adviser
> > Coventry University
> > 024 7688 7148
> >
> >
> >
> >
> > Dr M F Hunt
> > Equal Opportunities Officer
> >
> > University of Cambridge
> > Personnel Division
> > The Old Schools
> > Trinity Lane
> > Cambridge CB2 1TT
> >
> > Tel: +44 (0) 1223 332268 (Direct line)
> > Fax: +44 (0) 1223 336954
> > Email: [log in to unmask]
>
> ----------------------
> Virginia M Wainwright
> Equal Opportunities Officer
> King's College London
> James Clerk Maxwell Building
> 57 Waterloo Road
> London SE1 8WA
> 020 7848 3399
> [log in to unmask]

----------------------
Virginia M Wainwright
Equal Opportunities Officer
King's College London
James Clerk Maxwell Building
57 Waterloo Road
London SE1 8WA
020 7848 3399
[log in to unmask]