Civil liberties group publishes report on freedom of religion versus equality

Drawing the Line: Tackling Tensions Between Religious Freedom and Equality is published in partnership with the International Network of Civil Liberties Organisation (INCLO).

It will be launched in Dublin today by a panel including Louise Melling, deputy legal director at the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU), Dr Eoin Daly of NUI Galway and Professor Veronica O’Kane of Trinity College Dublin.

Areas to discussed will include: “conscience” and same sex marriage; religious control of hospitals and the use of religion to deny the bodily autonomy of women in Ireland and the US.

Stephen O’Hare, ICCL senior research and policy manager, said ahead of the launch: “The co-existence of the right to equality and to freedom of religion should be guided by the fundamental principle that while religious freedom must be vigorously defended, it does not give us the right to impose our views on others, including by discriminating against them or subjecting them to cruel and inhumane treatment.”

Ms Melling of ACLU added: “In many of our countries, our laws are changing to afford more people – LGBT people, women and minority groups – dignity and equality.

“That change is sometimes met with objections rooted in faith. The purpose of this report is to shine a spotlight on how these tensions play out in courtrooms around the world and to highlight how the law, when applied within the framework of human rights, can ensure a more balanced and equitable outcomes for those whose personal characteristics place them at odds with faith or religion.”