The Government is being warned that its plans to extend the powers of the Charity Commission to ban trustees who promote violence and hatred do not go far enough to protect women and LGBT people.

The proposed new powers were revealed last week in a Department for Culture, Media and Sport (DCMS) consultation to disqualify charity leaders who promote or encourage hatred and violence against those defined by “their race, or their religion or belief”.

This is intended by the government to target the most common forms of extremist behaviour seen in the Charity Commission’s casework.

But the National Secular Society (NSS) says this fails to “adequately tackle misogyny and homophobia promoted by religious charities” as it does not apply to hatred based on sex and sexual orientation.

It adds that while hatred relating to religion and race make up most of the Commission’s casework related to extremism, “several charities” have been referred to the Commission by the NSS relating to concerns around encouraging hate and discrimination of women and LGBT people.

Proposals 'fall far short'

"These proposals fall far short of tackling some of the most egregious problems in the charity sector,” said NSS head of campaigns Megan Manson.

"Greater powers to tackle charities which promote violence, or hatred based on race or religion or belief, are of course welcome and long overdue.

“But the failure to protect women and LGBT people, who are too often the subject of stigmatising sermons hosted by religious charities, is unacceptable.

“This omission may even send the message that women and LGBT people are fair game for hate and discrimination.”

She added: “We will engage with the Government to urge them to adopt more robust prohibitions on promoting misogyny, homophobia and other hateful ideologies which are too often cloaked under 'the advancement of religion'.”

A DCMS spokesperson said: “The Government is committed to ensuring that charities operate for the public benefit and that the charity sector cannot be used to promote extremism, hatred or violence.

“The Government is clear that hatred directed at any group can be harmful and unacceptable.

“We welcome views from stakeholders on the proposals and will carefully consider responses to the consultation before deciding on the way forward.”

The Charity Commission can still take action against hateful activity that damages public trust in charities through its existing discretionary powers, according to the government.

It adds that under the new proposals if a trustee has been convicted of any hate crime, including against women and LGBT people they will be automatically banned until their conviction is spent.

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