Scottish Inter Faith Council Information

SIFC are involved in helping to shape and develop religious equality throughout Scotland. In order to do this, we work closely with the Equalities and Human Rights Commission (EHRC) and the Scottish Government's Equality Unit. SIFC are also a member of the Equalities Co-ordinating Group (ECG) which works closely with the Scottish Government and Parliament on supporting and encouraging the development of mainstreaming of equality in Scotland. SIFC also regularly contribute to the development of equalities policy in Scotland and the UK - responding to the UK Government's Discrimination Law Review and Equality Review, for example, and through meetings with government ministers and senior civil servants. SIFC is often asked to give talks, presentations, seminars and workshops on religious equality. Addition, SIFC provide training on matters relating to religious equality. Training is on offer on how to understand and implement the Employment Equality (Religion or Belief) Regulations 2003 into the workplace. SIFC can also provide training on the regulations prohibiting discrimination on grounds of religion or belief in the provision of goods, facilities and services. These regulations came into effect in April 2007, under Part 2 of the Equality Act 2006. Other ways in which we promote the mainstreaming of religious equality in Scotland is through working with a variety of organisations on their equality schemes and policies, writing briefings or articles and responding to enquiries from organisations and members of the public relating to equality on grounds of religion. As well as the above-mentioned Equalities Co-ordinating Group (ECG), SIFC is a member of a number of equality groups in Scotland, including the advisory group of the STUC's One Workplace, Equal Rights project.