Compendium of Standards, Good Practices and Recommendations Good Practices and Recommendations It is not always easy, or even possible, for military institutions to accommodate everyone’s religion or belief, especially as armed forces function according to their own rules of discipline, hierarchies and priorities. Unintentional disparities in the ability of service personnel to practise their religion may occur, especially when the chain of command is unfamiliar with religious or non-religious beliefs that are not part of the major religions. Additionally, some countries, such as France and Turkey, have constitutional guarantees of secularity, and others, like the United States, have a separation of church and state. In such cases, there may be a concern that state measures that actively facilitate the practice of religion could be found to be unconstitutional. Moreover, practical difficulties may arise when attempting to accommodate diverse and, perhaps, conflicting religious practices, such as in the provision of prayer space or of time off for holy days. While it may prove difficult, and at times impossible, to adequately meet such challenges, the right to freedom of religion or belief exists for each individual, including service personnel. Restrictions on the manifestation of this right are possible, but only where they are set out in law, follow a legitimate aim, and are necessary and proportionate to the intended aim. Thus, military institutions should seek, as far as possible, to safeguard this right and to restrict it only where it is absolutely necessary and where there are no other (less restrictive) means to ensure discipline, order and safety for armed forces members. The ensuing recommendations provide further guidance on how to ensure and uphold freedom of religion or belief within the armed forces. » Service in the armed forces should be open to everybody regardless of religion or belief. » Any impediments to service, such as religious oaths of allegiance, should be relaxed by allowing at least the possibility of non-religious affirmation. » Members of the armed forces should be permitted to opt out of religious services and ceremonial duties that incorporate religious elements. » Discrimination or harassment on grounds of religion or belief should not be tolerated in the armed forces. » States should collect sex-disaggregated data on the religious composition of the armed forces, in order to have an evidential basis for identifying and combating any latent or indirect religious discrimination. However, disclosing any information as part of the data collection needs to be strictly voluntary for personnel of the armed forces. » Armed forces should, wherever possible, accommodate religious practices by members, including worship, prayer, access to representatives of their religion or belief, observance of holy days and fasting, and observance of dress and dietary requirements. » Where it is not possible to accommodate these practices for reasons of military effectiveness or genuine occupational requirements, any restrictions should be prescribed by law, have a legitimate aim and be necessary and proportionate. 157