! Owing to equality law gender segregation is “permissible during collective religious worship”. Guidance from 29 the EHRC covers a number of other exemptions which may be relevant to RHEBs. 2.5 Charity Law External speakers invited onto campus must have the public benefit in mind and not breach the law, while the organisers should consider any potential reputational damage. Universities and student unions must meet what is called the ‘public benefit’ requirement outlined in the Charities Act 2011, s.2 (1) (b)), or in the case of Scotland, the Charity and Trustee Investment Scotland Act 2005. The Charity Commission has published guidance which aims to help protect charities from abuse by anyone 30 encouraging or condoning extremism, terrorism or illegal activity. This non-statutory guidance has suggested that there may be “extreme views and activities … which may be inappropriate for a charity to host or 31 promote”. The Prevent review also makes it clear that “higher education institutions and student unions can be challenged on whether they have given due consideration to the public benefit and associated risks, notably when they or one of their affiliated societies invite controversial or extremist speakers to address students”.32 !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! 29 ‘Gender segregation at Events and Meetings: guidance for Universities and Students’ Unions’, Equality and Human Rights Commission, 30 July 2014, p.3, available at: http://www.equalityhumanrights.com/publication/gender-segregation-events-and-meetings-guidance-universities-and-students- unions, last visited: 18 April 2016. 30 ‘Compliance Toolkit Protecting Charities from Harm’, Charity Commission, 2013, available at: https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/351342/CT-5.pdf, last visited: 17 April 2016. 31 ‘External speakers in higher education institutions’, Universities UK, 22 November 2013, p.12. 32 ‘Prevent Strategy’, HM Government, June 2011, p.72, available at: https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/97976/prevent-strategy-review.pdf, last visited: 17 April 2016. 12! !