I've been watching this discussion with interest, and I can't hold back from
joining in at this stage. I'm reminded of French schools who are secular in a
more determined way I suspect than any British institution and the bans on
girls with their headscarves - which feels very wrong.
Does it go back to something fundamental about human rights? My right to
unbelief is met without any physical provision; a Muslim's right to belief
depends on practice and therefore if a prayer room is needed so that Muslims
can practice their religion without the hindrance of a trek to the mosque,
that need has to be addressed. My needs and the Muslims are addressed in
different ways.
Jenny
"Kent, Syd" <[log in to unmask]> on 24/10/2003 15:04:20
Please respond to HE Administrators equal opportunities list
<[log in to unmask]>
To: [log in to unmask]
cc: (bcc: Jenny Woodhouse/PER/Central-Admin)
Subject: Re: Prayer room for Ramadan: The reasonable and practicable test
What would happen if a University declared itself to be a secular
institution and therefore made no provision for any religion, faith or
belief I wonder.
Syd.
Syd Kent mailto:[log in to unmask]
Equal Opportunities Development Officer
University of Essex
Wivenhoe park
Colchester
Essex
CO4 3SQ
Phone: 01206 872390
Fax: 01206 873396
-----Original Message-----
From: Emmanuell Kusemamuriwo [mailto:[log in to unmask]]
Sent: 24 October 2003 14:55
To: [log in to unmask]
Subject: FW: Prayer room for Ramadan: The reasonable and practicable
test
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: Emmanuell Kusemamuriwo
Sent: 24 October 2003 14:21
To: [log in to unmask]
Subject: Re: Prayer room for Ramadan: The reasonable and practicable
test
Thanks Andy.
In the end colleagues, we need to remember that our institutions should
be seeking to uphold the spirit, through incorporating the letter, of
the law, in our institutional practice. It is about ensuring that, given
the resources that can be made available, our circumstances, situation
and demands, we have provided the best reasonable and practicable
institutional service that we can, to all. We need to also be able to
show evidence of what, why, how, when, with whom and to whom, we have
done to accomplish this. Also we need to feel happy and able to defend
what we have done, to anyone who might raise an issue or a challenge.
So we will need to ask and answer certain pertinent questions. For
instance: Is the Mosque down the road the best way of providing a
service, under the reasonable and practicable "litmus test"?
What is already being provided on campus, for other groups, if any?
How can the institution meaningfully and effectively communicate and
consult with all those involved and/or affected, in order to arrive at a
consensual way forward that is deemed to be reasonable and practicable?
In the final analysis, institutions are required to do the best that
they can, under good practice for all. It is not about gratuitously
providing for various groups, no matter what. However, it is about
arriving at and implementing, a well thought through rationale, that
demonstrably mainstreams Equality and Diversity requirements in
addressing the established needs of all those involved, who the
institution is accountable to.
Regards
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: A.S.J.Lie [mailto:[log in to unmask]]
Sent: 24 October 2003 11:31
To: [log in to unmask]
Subject: Re: Prayer room for Ramadan
Importance: High
Dear colleagues,
I am in agreement with Mannie on this important matter and universities
will have to come up with creative solutions as far as meeting religious
needs are concerned. Treating groups and communities equally does not
mean providing the same facilities. We should treat each according to
its needs. As Muslims are a large group on most campuses, special
provisions are never out of place.
Returning to the original question, the provision of a special facility
during the month of Ramadan will be welcomed by many Muslim staff and
students. More and frequent prayers are also said at this time. Although
there is a mosque nearby, there are good reasons for having a facility
on campus, not least because of its immediate access as days are getting
shorter. Muslims do appreciate such institutional efforts.
From personal experience in another context, the basic provisions should
include:
1. An accessible and spacious room for prayers, carpeted, with screens
so that men and women are separate, and ample shoe racks 2. Clean
white/plain sheets on carpeted floor 3. Nearby toilet and where
possible, ablution facilities - ample provision of paper towels is
strongly advised 4. Nearby kitchen facilities for 'iftar' (ie. the
breaking of fast) - this is an especially good communal time - if you
haven't been to one, may I encourage you to do so and to meet your
fellow Muslim staff and students 5. Appropriate disposal of any food
waste 6. Security is crucial - locking up to be mutually arranged with
leader of the Muslim Society and campus security services.
Although provision is only for Ramadan, long term appropriately built
facilities should be considered for Muslims on campuses.
Hope this helps for the moment. Thanks.
Andy
Andy Lie
Assistant Registrar (Equality & Diversity)
University of Salford
Tel 0161 295 2840
-----Original Message-----
From: Rachel Cutts [mailto:[log in to unmask]]
Sent: 23 October 2003 17:23
To: [log in to unmask]
Subject: Re: Prayer room for Ramadan
Hi Mannie
Further to this, the School does not provide facilities for any religion
or form of worship - would we therefore need to consider providing
facilities for all requests in future? As Felicity said, we have a lot
of these facilties (including a mosque) very near the School, and the
School itself is on a tiny campus with very little, if any, spare
capacity.
Rachel
Felicity Hunt wrote:
> Mannie
>
> To what extent does an institution need to replicate facilities that
> are readily available very close by? We have churches of various
> denominations
and
> chapels across the University and city so I would not expect to have
> to
cater
> for Christian worship, and Rachel referred to having a mosque nearby
> as
far as
> her institution was concerned.
>
> On the other hand we have no mosque nearby and we have a number of
outlying
> sites where a dedicated prayer room might well be useful. Our
> departments
are
> scattered over a very large area so it would probably be safe to
> assume
that
> one facility would not suffice for the whole University.
>
> What is your view about this?
>
> Felicity
>
> Emmanuell Kusemamuriwo <[log in to unmask]> on 23/10/2003 16:55:02
>
> 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: Re: Prayer room for Ramadan
>
> Hi Rachel,
>
> A prayer room request needs to be considered reasonable because not
> only
is
> it part of a direct institutional provision expectation under good
practice
> for all, but also a statutory requirement under the Equality
> Legislation
for
> Religion and Belief.
>
> Also it is an indirect requirement under the General and Specific
> Duties
of
> the RRAA in that most Muslims are from particular racial groups which
> are covered by the Act.
>
> We also need to remember that under the "Burden of Proof" institutions
could
> be expected to show evidence of the reasonable and practicable steps
> they take, why, how, when and with whom, in order to make sure that
institutional
> practice and provision is not racially discriminatory, in an unlawful
> manner.
>
> It is therefore considered reasonable for an institution that has
> Muslim staff and/or students, to be expected to provide prayer room
> facilities as and when needed. The facilities are also expected to be
> reasonably and comfortably fit for purpose, otherwise if they are not,
> unfavourable treatment that could be tantamount to unlawful
> institutional racial discrimination, could be justifiably inferred.
>
> I hope this clarifies the situation for you. Please feel free to
> contact
me
> with any further issues, if necessary.
>
> Regards
>
> 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: Rachel Cutts [mailto:[log in to unmask]]
> Sent: 23 October 2003 15:20
> To: [log in to unmask]
> Subject: Prayer room for Ramadan
>
> Hi
>
> I am hoping for some advice on the provision of a prayer room on
> campus during Ramadan. Is this something that you would consider a
> reasonable request? It's not something I've been asked before - there
> is a large Mosque about 5 minutes walk from the School and I think
> previously people have used that.
>
> Any advice gratefully received.
>
> Thanks
>
> Rachel
>
> --
> Rachel Cutts
> Administrator, Research Support
> London Business School
> Regent's Park
> London NW1 4SA
> UK
>
> Tel: +44 (0) 20 7262 5050 x3490
> Fax: +44 (0) 20 7723 3461
> Email: [log in to unmask]
> **********
> The Equality Challenge Unit promotes diversity and equality of
> opportunity
for
> all who work or seek to work in higher education. We are sponsored by
> the representative bodies (SCOP and Universities UK) and the four UK
> HE
funding
> bodies.
>
> This message is confidential. If you are not the intended recipient
> you should not copy or disclose this message to anyone but should
> kindly
notify
> the sender and delete the message. Opinions, conclusions and other
> information in this message which do not relate to the official
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> the ECU shall be understood as neither given nor endorsed by it. No
contracts
> shall be concluded by means of this e-mail. Neither ECU nor the
> sender accepts any responsibility for viruses. The administrator of
> this e-mail service (Universities UK) reserves the right to access and
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> **********
--
Rachel Cutts
Administrator, Research Support
London Business School
Regent's Park
London NW1 4SA
UK
Tel: +44 (0) 20 7262 5050 x3490
Fax: +44 (0) 20 7723 3461
Email: [log in to unmask]
**********
The Equality Challenge Unit promotes diversity and equality of
opportunity for all who work or seek to work in higher education. We are
sponsored by the representative bodies (SCOP and Universities UK) and
the four UK HE funding bodies.
This message is confidential. If you are not the intended recipient you
should not copy or disclose this message to anyone but should kindly
notify the sender and delete the message. Opinions, conclusions and
other information in this message which do not relate to the official
business of the ECU shall be understood as neither given nor endorsed by
it. No contracts shall be concluded by means of this e-mail. Neither
ECU nor the sender accepts any responsibility for viruses. The
administrator of this e-mail service (Universities UK) reserves the
right to access and disclose all messages sent over its e-mail system.
**********
**********
The Equality Challenge Unit promotes diversity and equality of
opportunity for all who work or seek to work in higher education. We are
sponsored by the representative bodies (SCOP and Universities UK) and
the four UK HE funding bodies.
This message is confidential. If you are not the intended recipient you
should not copy or disclose this message to anyone but should kindly
notify the sender and delete the message. Opinions, conclusions and
other information in this message which do not relate to the official
business of the ECU shall be understood as neither given nor endorsed by
it. No contracts shall be concluded by means of this e-mail. Neither
ECU nor the sender accepts any responsibility for viruses. The
administrator of this e-mail service (Universities UK) reserves the
right to access and disclose all messages sent over its e-mail system.
**********
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