The government must protect secular public services as it begins a “reset” with civil society organisations, says the National Secular Society.
In October, the government launched the “Civil Society Covenant Framework” “to re-establish relations with civil society and build a new partnership that can harness the full potential of civil society to rebuild our country”.
The association “applies to all” non-governmental organizations and supports them to “speak out according to their purpose”.
Extremeness
In response to the consultation on the union, the NSS said it was “imperative” that the government does not engage with organizations that “express views contrary to fundamental British values”.
The NSS mentioned, among others, the Islamic charity Green Lane Masjid and the Community Centre. In a lecture published on the charity’s YouTube account in August, the mosque’s imam said it was “important and obligatory” for a woman to “make herself available to her husband in terms of physical intimacy”. The charity also offers ‘domestic violence support’.
Last year the government awarded the charity a £2.2m ‘Youth Investment Fund’ grant, which was suspended after the NSS raised concerns about its history of misogyny, homophobia and antisemitism.
The NSS also cited 44 charities it referred to regulators as promoting division, extremism and anti-Semitism following the October 7 Hamas attack in Israel. By April 2024, the Charity Commission had referred 30 charities to the police.
Proselytization
NSS emphasized the risk of conversion when outsourcing public services to religious groups.
For example, in 2022 the government’s “faith new deal pilot fund” awarded £7,747 to All Souls Serve the City, a group that aims to bring “biblical truth” to women who are victims of human trafficking. The New Faith Pilot Fund was only intended for religious groups – charities without a religious ethos could not apply.
According to research, around half of UK Christian charities agree with the statement: “We work to increase the number of people who share our faith”.
The NSS noted that the non-converting clause in the All-Party Parliamentary Group’s “Covenant of Faith” on faith and society was removed following pressure from religious groups. According to the APPG, more than 20 local authorities have signed up to this “Covenant of Faith”.
Discrimination
The NSS also expressed concern that the government is collaborating with groups that discriminate against women and LGBT people in hiring and providing services.
It cited the employment policy of Taunton Baptist Church, a registered charity, which states: “Any job applicant/employee who is in a sexual relationship must be married to a person of the opposite sex”.
The NSS said such policies are “diametrically opposed” to the union’s principle of participation.
Even without such an express policy, the NSS said misogynistic and homophobic groups “may implicitly prevent” women and LGBT people from providing or using services.
Recommendations
The NSS recommended that all government contracts with religious groups for the provision of public services contain “clear equality, non-discrimination and non-translation clauses”.
It said the government should “commit to equality” in its NGO funding programs without “giving funding exclusively to religious groups”.
It also called for a review of the charitable purpose of “promotion of religion” and an end to Equality Act exemptions for religious groups when they work under a public contract.
NSS: ‘The government should be aware of the potential risks associated with working with religious organizations.
National Secular Society spokesman Alejandro Sanchez said: “We recognize the potential societal benefits of successful collaboration between civil society organizations and public bodies.
“However, we encourage the government to be aware of the potential risks of cooperating with some religious organizations without safeguards.
“The final version of the alliance should make it clear that public services will not be outsourced to religious groups that proselytize service users or promote extremism and discrimination.”