What is so threatening about women covering their hair? Read more: 'Burqa bans' across Europe Austria has … Not a Global Citizen yet? Women wanting to cover their hair should not be viewed as a political or religious game. France and Belgium have enacted a similar ban since 2011. On June 4, 2020, a campaign was launched following an official decision to uphold a ban on head coverings in higher education in Belgium. “Regardless of gender, origin or social status, with or without a headscarf.”. They contend that women who wear the headscarf might drop out of school or avoid going altogether because of the ban. This meant that Muslim women who wanted to pursue higher education were required by law to take off their hijab. “We have to be politically involved -without wanting to be- because our basic rights are being taken away from us and we have no representative to do this for us. Earlier this month, the Belgium Constitutional Court issued a ruling prohibiting the headscarf in higher education. A constitutional decision on June 4th has enabled a hijab ban in universities. “And some will be forced to remove the hijab to get an education.”. Thus, making it law to remove it in order to have access to higher education is beyond Islamophobic. Religious symbols, including the hijab will be permitted in universities in the French-speaking Wallonia region of Belgium starting September 2021, local officials announced, in a victory for anti-Islamophobia and Muslim women’s groups who have been fighting the ban for years. This never-ending cycle of Islamophobia and media manipulation has hurt many Muslims who have contributed nothing but greatness and respect to their communities. Sign up. Welcome back! I guarantee you that the one wearing the hijab will be perceived differently and viewed as a “threat.” On the other hand, the woman without the hijab will be perceived as normal. These groups of people consisted of women’s rights activists, anti-racist groups, and university students. In 2018, Austria banned full-face coverings in order to limit the visibility of orthodox Islam. The court still decided to uphold its decision and does not plan on overturning it. But several anti-racist, feminist organizations and activists — such as Belges Comme Vous, La Cinquième Vague, Imazi.Reine, the Council of European Muslims (CEM) and the Collectif Contre l’Islamophobie en Belgique (CCIB) — have voiced their opposition to  this decision. #HijabisFightBack rang the rallying cry of students in Brussels against an effective ban of the headscarf in education. This decision received a huge amount of backlash from Belgian citizens and other Muslims across the world. In Belgium, however, headscarf bans are not widespread, but recent Burkini and Burqa bans in neighboring countries have fueled an existing anti-Muslim, … It is time to start viewing the hijab as “powerful” and “beautiful” instead of “oppressed” and “dangerous.” The fight for women’s rights includes ALL women, not just the ones society picks and chooses. Thanks for signing up as a global citizen. However, the possibility for a ban does not only apply to headscarves, but to all symbols expressing religious or political opinions. A piece of clothing has threatened many “great” nations for centuries now. It is that simple. While many support and respect this movement, people still forget to include women who want to dress modestly. More European countries are now limiting Muslims [hijabis] to do the bare minimum. People protested it by using hashtags such as, #TouchePasAMesEtudes (Don’t touch my studies) and #HijabisFightBack. Collectif Contre l’Islamophobie en Belgique, highlight the ban’s discriminatory and sexist impact, Une publication partagée par Imazi•Reine (@imazi.reine). Activists argue that these measures are harmful, restrict access to equal opportunities in the public sphere, and could exclude Muslim women from social life and education. Hijab ban in European countries. Consistent with the era of online activism, the ban was met with the hashtag #hijabisfightback. Unlike in Belgium, France, the Netherlands, Austria and Denmark, Germany has no general ban on wearing full-face veils in public. Muslim students have also petitioned the Francisco Ferrer Brussels University college to challenge the ruling. Thousands of protesters have taken to the streets of Brussels in recent days, following a constitutional decision to allow the banning of headscarves in Belgian universities. Women wanting to cover their hair should not be viewed as a threat. Religious symbols, including the hijab will be permitted in universities in the French-speaking Wallonia region of Belgium starting September 2021, local officials announced, in a victory for anti-Islamophobia and Muslim women’s groups who have been fighting the ban for years. This is not to mention the constant hatred they face, along with blatant daily discrimination. Those who choose to cover their bodies and wear more should be respected and treated equally. Extreme poverty ends with you. This is the most recent prohibition of Islamic clothing, a burgeoning trend across European countries. This decision came after a group of Muslim women challenged Francisco Ferrer College for now allowing their students to wear Hijab. The protesters, around 4000, gathered at the Mont des Arts square to protest under the name of #HijabisFightBack. The word hijab refers to both the head-covering traditionally worn by some Muslim women and Islamic styles of dress in general. France was the first country to ban the face veil. The recent rise of right-wing parties could be further exacerbating this issue. There is no need to punish women for their choice of clothing that harms no one. A ban on the hijab, turban and kippa is unfairly discriminatory towards particular ethnic groups – namely Jews, Sikhs and generally Muslims from a particular racial group. Keep updated on what they're doing to change the world. Call governments or join rallies. After banning the hijab in high schools, the Constitutional Court ruled this week that colleges and universities are allowed to BAN the hijab, as a sign of neutrality. We offer a variety of ways to make your voice heard. The headscarf has become a contentious issue in many European countries — such as France, where the longstanding principle of laïcité (secularism) comes into play, and where social life is based on a definition of citizenship which negates individual particularities for the sake of equal treatment. Hijab to many Muslims is a symbol of faith and modesty. France has a long history of banning the hijab and different variations of the hijab, and still has a ban on the niqab. Using the hashtags #HijabisFightBack and #TouchePasAMesEtudes (Leave my education alone), activists are using social media to highlight the ban’s discriminatory and sexist impact. Banning the hijab implies that if you want to have access to anything or want to become anything great in life, you should not associate with Islam. The Canun The “Canun” a medical encyclopedia written by Ibn-Sina, was the West’s basic medical text for more than five centuries, with thirty editions in Latin and...Read More, By: Raneem Ghunaim/ Arab America Contributing Writer. Belgian universities are allowed to ban the hijab, but some universities have resisted the court ban and have not imposed a headscarf ban. Belgium’s ban on burqas and other full-face Islamic veils has been upheld by the European Court of Human Rights.. The ruling coalition agreed in January 2017 to prohibit full-face veils (niqab and burka) in … At the start of June, the Constitutional Court of Belgium decided that the possibility of a headscarf ban was not contrary to the Constitution and the European Convention on Human Rights (ECHR). Not a second thought would pass someone’s mind. Raising a new generation with the idea that Islam will limit them from accomplishing anything in life will force people to move away from the religion. We have come around to praise women who show their bodies to the fullest – but, we have yet to do the same for those who choose to be modest. “Women are always the ones taking this kind of blow,” said Fatima-Zohra Ait El Maâti, feminist author and founding director of Imazi.Reine, in an interview with Vice. On July 11, 2017, the European Court of Human Rights (ECHR) upheld Belgium's ban on burqas and full-face veils. Belgium has in the past adopted similar restrictions, known as the “Burqa Ban,” like other European Union countries such as France and the Netherlands. Juan Sánchez. The June 4 ruling states that the ban does not constitute a violation of the right to human dignity or to the right of religious freedom, as defined by the European Convention on Human Rights (ECHR). Regardless of gender, origin or social status, with or without a headscarf, For Covered Girls: Roundtable Discussion/Filming w/ Baraa Ktiri, Democrats Seek Rule Change to Formally Allow Hijabs, Yarmulkes on House Floor, Do Arab Women Have Rights? What the Hijab ban in Belgium means for Muslim Women December 26, 2020 Issues 11 A few months ago in July, Belgium had announced a constitutional decision to allow the ban … This meant that Muslim women who wanted to pursue higher education were required by law to take off their hijab. “Some will, unfortunately, give up on their dreams,” the CEM stated about the Belgian court ruling. Women’s rights groups have fought for many years to make it acceptable for ALL women to wear what they want. Those who choose to show their bodies and wear less should be respected and treated equally. Belgium: Belgium was the second country to ban the face veil at public places, they announced the ban in July 2011. Burqinis (Muslim women's swimwear) are … It started with France which in 2011 became the first European country to introduce a nationwide ban. If you put two women together side by side, one wearing the hijab while the other is not, give them the same long-sleeved shirt and the same modest pants. After the June 4th ruling indicating that religious symbols are now not prohibited when it comes to higher education, thousands of people came together to protest against the hijab ban and the clear discrimination when it comes to Muslim women’s rights. However, several Belgian Universities disagreed with that ruling. A woman’s body is nobody’s business but her own. Belgium has specific bans on the face-covering dress, such as the niqab or burqa. Picture credit: Pixabay The most recent wave of antagonising Muslims in Europe has reached Belgium this summer. Of those six have some form of a national ban on either the headscarf or face veil. Over 1,000 people protested Sunday afternoon at the central Mont des Arts in the Belgian capital. Tunisia's Fight for Gender Equality, A Voice Unsilenced: Saudi Women Advocating Their Rights, 1990-2017, What 5 Muslim Women Think About Dolce & Gabbana's New Hijab Line. Send petitions, emails, or tweets to world leaders. Sign in to start taking action. They say that muslim women are oppressed but if they decide to take the hijab away from free women in a free country doesn't that make it 100000 times more oppressed? This was criticized by police who were put in the position of charging people for wearing smog and ski masks. The anti-Muslim and anti-immigrant rhetoric has gained momentum over the past years since the rise of far-right groups across Europe. The statement asked the Belgian authorities to take Muslim women into account when making laws. Many protests broke out. Thousands of people gathered in Brussels on Sunday to protest against a ruling by Belgium’s Constitutional Court allowing higher education institutions to ban the hijab.. They have taken to the streets to demonstrate the right for women to dress how they please and to do what they want with their bodies. Through this online movement, images The muslim community is in need and we will not stay silent. The protests began after the Constitutional Court in Belgium shockingly ruled that the prohibition of religious symbols, including the hijab, in higher education, does not violate freedom of religion or the right to education under the Belgian Constitution … The ban was announced in April 2011, it is the first country to not only ban but also charged the women wearing hijab. Belgium Bans Hijab Meanwhile, the protestors maintained social distancing as well as wore mask. Again, we hear about a new hijab ban in a different European country. Instead, we shame them and take away their rights to higher education. And in early June, the Belgian Constitutional Court announced that the Francisco Ferrer Institute could impose a ban on all religious symbols, including the hijab. The ban was found not to be in violation of the right to human dignity or religious freedom under the European Convention on Human Rights. Austria. The decision was welcomed by activists and Muslim women who also acknowledged that further steps were … With rising Islamophobia in Europe, it has become more challenging for Muslims to live life like any other people. Both institutions have reassured their students that they are welcome to wear the hijab if they please. THIS IS Islamophobia but yet no media coverage. Share Share Tweet Email. A campaign has been launched following an official decision to uphold a ban on head coverings in Belgian higher education on June 4. It was followed by Belgium, Bulgaria, Austria, Germany and Denmark. Please contact us at contact@globalcitizen.org if you would like to re-activate your account. So far, however, 12 Belgian academic institutions, such as the Free University of Brussels (VUB) or the Catholic University of Leuvenhave, stated they will continue to commit to protecting religious freedom. These institutions have publicly said that they will openly resist the ban and welcome all students with or without headscarves. What the Hijab ban in Belgium means for Muslim Women December 26, 2020 Issues 9 A few months ago in July, Belgium had announced a constitutional decision to allow the ban of hijabs in colleges and universities. Kommentare . People started using the hashtag #HijabisFightBack, as well as #TouchePasAMesEtudes which translates to, “Don’t touch my studies.” Due to the brief attention that the media gave this situation, demonstrations broke out in Brussels as well. The hijab has been a hot topic in almost every country worldwide: They all want to get rid of it. This meant that Muslim women who wanted to pursue higher education were required by law to take off their hijab. The decision has faced protests across social media through the hashtags #HijabisFightBack and #TouchePasAMesEtudes (Don’t touch my studies). “It is funny, though, to think that at the age of 24, there are people who think about liberating me — and especially, who think they can do it better than I can.”, In a press release, the CCIB described the ban as “an unprecedented breach of fundamental rights in terms of religious and philosophical convictions.”, Une publication partagée par Imazi•Reine (@imazi.reine) le 14 Juin 2020 à 2 :28 PDT. Meet other Global Citizens who care about the same issues you do. FIFA's ban of the head cover in 2011–2014 is an example of hijabophobia. On 4 June this year, the Belgian Constitutional Court authorised the banning of the Islamic headscarf in the Haute Ecole and all other visible religious, In the wake Headscarf ban: Belgian Muslim women are resisting in order to free themselves Hamburg court rules against school niqab and burqa ban The ruling stopped a school's attempt to ban a 16-year-old girl from wearing a full-face veil during classes. If your Facebook account does not have an attached e-mail address, you'll need to add that before you can sign up. Limiting those with different beliefs from basic rights is barbaric. The country is the second European Union nation after France to enforce such a ban. You can check out our Privacy Policy to see how we safeguard and use the information you provide us with. A law has come into force in Belgium banning women from wearing the full Islamic veil in public. Over 1000 people protested in Brussels against a court ruling allowing a ban on headscarves in universities pic.twitter.com/qopkxWVM6z. These institutions have stressed that they will keep welcoming all students — regardless of their religion, gender, or social status. They can be fined €30,000 fine and one year in prison. Austria is the eighth European country to ban headscarves in … In order to create your account we need you to provide your email address. Thousands of protesters took to the streets fighting for basic human rights. In Belgium, however, headscarf bans are not widespread, but recent Burkini and Burqa bans in neighboring countries have fueled an existing anti-Muslim, anti-immigrant rhetoric that carries clout across Europe. A recent example of this is a court ruling in Belgium, which prohibited the use of headscarves in higher education. This is especially the case for Muslim women. Some of these Universities are: the University of Brussels and the Catholic University of Leuven. On June 4, 2020, a campaign was launched following an official decision to uphold a ban on head coverings in higher education in Belgium. Job appliances of hijabi Muslims are being DECLINED because of the headscarf. Check out original content and videos published every day to help you learn about the issues that mean the most to you. Back in June of 2020, Belgium’s Constitutional Court officially ruled that a ban on religious symbols in higher education does not violate the European Convention on Human Rights.