Category Archives: Hijab

France’s hijab ban triggers domino effect

Posted on by Bob Pitt

A French law banning hijab and religious insignia in state schools, which came into effect last September, has triggered a domino effect, with several ministries seeking to expand its application beyond public schools.

The Health Ministry was the latest to jump on the bandwagon, issuing a written directive on February 2 committing all hospitals to take a “neutral” position in dealing with their patients when it comes to religion. The directive, a copy of which was obtained by IslamOnline.net, provides for concealing any religious symbol in hospitals to protect the secular nature of the staff.

The ministry’s move is a grim reminder of the sacking of a hijab-garbed nurse in 2002 for refusing to take off the headscarf.

Le Figaro Magazine revealed on its Saturday’s edition that the Higher Learning and Labor ministries mull drafting similar laws banning hijab and religious symbols in state-run institutions and universities.

The magazine said that the minister of labor has already entered into talks with relevant French syndicates to ban hijab in public companies and corporations, especially those in direct touch with the lay people. It added that the minister admitted the difficulties of amending the existing labor laws, but said work contracts can include an item obliging female employees to take off their hijab inside the workplace.

The weekly further disclosed that some universities have banned students from wearing religious symbols inside campuses. A binding draft for all universities is being written to ban religious dress codes, according the magazine.

In January, a police station in Paris did not allow a group of veiled women to attend a party thrown for them for being granted French citizenship.

Islam Online, 21 February 2005

In defence of militant secularism

Posted on by Bob Pitt

“A strange alliance has arisen: from conservative members of the Muslim Association of Britain, the SWP, to London’s Mayor, all are in an uproar about ‘Islamophobia’. Ken Livingstone has taken it upon himself to criticise the French move to ban wearing ostentatious religious symbols in schools. He has also given lessons on religious freedom by defending a cleric, al-Qaradawi, who supports female genital mutilation. This bloc draws support from the mainstream of the Anglican Church and Prince Charles to, with rare exceptions, the bien-pensant pages of the Guardian.”

Andrew Coates in What Next? No.29

More than just a scarf …

Posted on by Bob Pitt

“Perhaps Ridley should consider the possibility that some of those ‘glaring passengers’ might have lost relatives to the terrorist organisations whose fashion sense she shares.”

Letter writers to the Observer give their opinions on Yvonne Ridley’s article recounting the prejudice she experienced as a result of wearing the Islamic headscarf.

Observer, 19 December 2004

For Ridley’s original article, see here.

London mayor picks Muslim woman human rights adviser

Posted on by Bob Pitt

Ken Livingstone, Mayor of London, has appointed a Muslim woman as his new human rights advisor, a decision welcomed by the sizable Muslim community in Britain.

Yasmin Qureshi, a barrister whose experience includes heading the Criminal Legal Section of the UN Mission in Kosovo (UNMIK) and the Department of Judicial Administration in Kosovo, will replace Graham Tope, who held the unpaid post during the mayor’s first term, said a press release posted on the official website for the Mayor of London.

“I am impressed with Yasmin’s serious approach to human rights, both in terms of the issues she has taken up and also her professional experience. She will bring an extra dimension to the work of my office in this field,” Livingstone said.

He asked Qureshi to include the issue of religious rights and freedoms as part of her work and to reflect the views of London communities who have concerns about the new French law banning religious symbols in state schools.

“I am pleased to have a Muslim woman advising me and carrying this work forward at a time when many Muslims feel that their rights around the world are not being addressed, and I am sure that she will take up these issues, such as a woman’s right to choose to wear the hijab, with vigor.”

Islam Online, 16 December 2004

Jilbab: AWL defends ‘those who insist on oppressing themselves’

Posted on by Bob Pitt

“The ironic thing is that the increased wearing of overtly Islamic dress is due to the increase of fundamentalist influences, some of which pay no attention to democracy at all, especially when it comes to the rights of women. The language of those who demand the right to cover themselves in order to establish themselves as the property of men is that of the feminist movement of 1970s Britain. They call for ‘a woman’s right to choose’. This is quite bizarre.”

The Alliance for Workers Liberty on the jilbab ban in Tower Hamlets. But, let’s be fair, the AWL does argue that “those who insist on oppressing themselves” should have the right to wear Islamic dress.

Solidarity, 2 December 2004

Muslims ‘facing most faith bias’

Posted on by Bob Pitt

Muslims in the UK are more likely to face discrimination based on religion rather than race, a study says. The report, by the Open Society Institute (OSI), says Islamophobia is adding to the problems of the UK’s most disadvantaged faith group.

Since 2002 increasing Islamophobia had added to the long-established problems of the group in areas such as education, employment and housing, researchers found. Eighty percent of UK Muslims have reported being victims of Islamophobia since September 11 and more than a third complain of being singled out by authorities while using UK airports. Young Muslim women were the most likely to report discrimination in the aftermath of September 11 and believed this was related to their decision to wear traditional dress.

“In the post-September 11 environment, religion is more important than ethnicity in indicating which groups are more likely to experience racism and discrimination,” the report concluded.

BBC News, 22 November 2005

Stay-at-home protest as schools ban Islamic dress

Posted on by Bob Pitt

Parents and pupils in one of Britain’s largest Muslim communities have clashed with their council after the introduction of a ban on girls wearing strict Islamic dress to school. At least three girls are staying away from classes in protest at the ban in the London borough of Tower Hamlets. Others face possible expulsion by continuing to wear the clothing in defiance of the restriction.

Sunday Times, 7 November 2004