But later when I started wearing hijab like Arab girls, I had to face various questions. [11] A February 2004 survey by CSA for Le Parisien showed 69% of the population for the ban and 29% against. [57][58] The sisters wrote a book about their experience. STRASBOURG, France, May 4 (Reuters) - Sixteen year-old Mariem Chourak is a devout Muslim who considers wearing a hijab an expression of her devotion to the Prophet Mohammad, but a proposal by. While for most Muslims the concept of hijab is seen as balanced and consistent with ideas of gender equality[citation needed], others see the religious prescription on female covering as chauvinistic, patriarchal, oppressive and an enforcement on women and against their rights. The government claimed a minority of France's estimated 6 million Muslims were at risk of forming a "counter-society" and the bill was designed to tackle the dangers of this "Islamist separatism". "Nowadays, women are visible," said Doucour. One defense against this argument was that the ratio of Muslim girls to other girls was not always high in classrooms, and that scarf wearing did not necessarily reflect proselytizing intent; but a countervailing relevant issue was that the relevant group being pressured was Muslim girls not wearing the scarf, who could sometimes be endangered inside or outside school unless they submitted to wearing the scarf like their classmates. The poll was made after the Court of Cassation ruled that a private crche did not have the right to fire a woman who wore an Islamic headscarf.[30]. I don't have to choose between my hijab and going to school, but my MacLeod.[who?]. All rights reserved. It's nothing more than neocolonialism. On the following sites, there can be found passages by and interviews with members of this group, entirely or partially on the scarf: The theme of the scarf as a symbol of submission of the woman to the man is found in many a discourse. The ban was only aimed at Muslim girls. Of the 806 students, 533 have accepted the law and no longer wear their veils in class. A number of students have elected to take state-provided distance-learning classes from CNED. The initiators of the law are said to have particularly targeted two items of clothing: the headscarf and the veil (French: foulard and voile respectively); however the law mentions neither and just addresses "ostentatious" ("conspicuous") symbols. Headscarf ban turns France's Muslim women towards homeworking [citation needed]. The average costs are 500 a year per student;[5] however, this statistic includes very expensive, exclusive schools. In 2004, a year after the law was voted in, one organization opposed to it, called the "Committee of the 15th of March and Liberty", published a report on the law's effects. Get the top stories in fashion, beauty and lifestyle straight to your inbox. Opinion | France's latest vote to ban hijabs shows how far it will go It consisted of 20 people headed by Bernard Stasi, then ombudsman of France (mdiateur de la Rpublique). France currently has no law banning mothers from wearing the hijab on school trips. The fact that most Muslims in France come from former French colonies has added a racist/antiracist tint to the debate. The Commission's report emphasised that publicly funded schools in France should transmit knowledge, teach students critical awareness, assure autonomy and openness to cultural diversity, and encourage personal development. The French ban prohibiting Muslim girls from wearing headscarves in public schools has been shown by two Stanford political scientists to have had a detrimental effect on both the girls' ability to complete their secondary education and their trajectories in the labor market. For example, even though a majority of the population nominally professes Catholicism (although far fewer regularly practice Catholicism),[6] government-operated French schools have no communal prayers, religious assemblies, or Christian crosses on the walls. "When you play football, you don't need to know the religion of the person in front of you.". [43][44], In 2012, UN Human Rights Committee has found a violation of ICCPR in case of expulsion of a Sikh from a school based on the 2004 law. [27] Rim-Sarah Alouane, a lawyer and researcher of religious freedom living in Toulouse, noted, "These conversations will keep on happening.". Mille Team. There is no internet site representing this group. Amanyara in Turks & Caicos is the place to be, Rolls-Royce debuts first fully-electric super coup in Abu Dhabi, 15 editor-approved luxury oversized bags to carry for work and play. The Council of State issued its ruling after a group of headscarf-wearing football players called "Les Hijabeuses" -- the word hijab refers to the headscarf -- campaigned against the ban and launched legal action. Some later court decisions have clarified issues that remained open. [45], On 12 August 2016, the mayor of Cannes in southern France banned full-body swimsuits, also called "burkinis", from the beach, arguing that it was considered a symbol of Islamic extremism and might spark tensions. France caters for the largest Muslims population in the Western Europe region. Top French court upholds ban on wearing hijab during matches France debates ban on Muslim veils in universities. France-centered arguments were voiced at the time of this controversy in order to justify students' wearing of the scarf in public schools: According to a 2008 study by Stephen Croucher in the Journal of Intercultural Communication Research, "Muslims deem the Islamic veil or hijab to be a fundamental part of their identity." Since 1905, France has had a law requiring separation of church and state, prohibiting the state from recognizing or funding any religion. There had been a great number of discussions on various platforms about whether Muslim girls should be allowed to wear the hijab in school or not. [64] However, the actual number of those who no longer attend French junior high and high schools over their veils is unknown. Some women see the headscarf as a way to preserve their modesty and prevent any sexual attractions as in western countries. in protests in Paris against the law forbidding the veil is one example thereof. Through this holding, the court upheld expulsions of students wearing a Sikh Keski[38][39][40] and a bandana. ", The Council of State said sports federations "may impose on their players an obligation to wear neutral clothing during sporting competitions and events, in order to guarantee the smooth running of matches and prevent clashes or confrontation. March 10, 2021 Hendrik Wieduwilt/Flickr The ban was only aimed at Muslim girls. In July 2003, President Jacques Chirac appointed a commission to examine the interaction between secularism and religious symbols in schools. However intellectuals such as Xavier Ternisien of Le Monde Diplomatique have maintained that the indubitable rise in religious observance is not linked with Islamic extremism, but with the frustration of children of immigrants no longer accepting to remain invisible as their parents often were. Public personalities also came out against the statements. As such, Muslim women could wear a combination of a hat and scarf which would qualify as a 'Hijab' but would not be obviously religious. It was finally tolerated. The position of the French government is that secularism in schools is incompatible with wearing ostentatious religious articles, whatever they be. On 2 November 1992, the Conseil ruled that a school regulation prohibiting all philosophical or religious signs, including those that were worn, was excessively sweeping and against the principle of lacit. But look, all those who were forced to stop going to school were Muslim girls.. Example of such a course: sisters Alma and Lila Lvy seen in the newspaper, There are no objective givens on the level of, Schools of Islam, particularly Sunnis, the largest school of Islam, heavily criticizes Wahhabis for being radical and violent(. The wearing of headscarves in school started comparatively recently in mainland France (since the late 1980s), and has become the focus of the conflict. Alma and Lila Lvy are sisters who rose to fame at the centre of the French controversy over the veil in 2003 when they were expelled from school. [49], On 25 August 2016, the Human Rights League and anti-Islamophobia groups described the ban as a dangerous and illegal threat on basic freedoms, particularly freedom of belief and religion. No, France does not have a ban on hijabs in public spaces. When Algerian women fought against wearing the headscarf in Algeria, French feminists supported them. In Islam, Hijab is a duty prescribed on all Muslim women,[3] though in the matter discussed in this article it only applies to women. The Lvy sisters were expelled for wearing the hijab. The court recalled that federations are free to determine the rules for participation in their events, including rules on clothing and equipment. In 2010, France passed a law prohibiting . French barrister fights for right to wear her hijab in court School administrators, in such cases, were taken into legal, social and media quarrels far beyond their ordinary responsibilities. Macron warning on stigmatising Muslims amid France veil row The Female Soccer Players Challenging France's Hijab Ban While all major political parties were somewhat divided on the issue, all major parties (the majority UMP and UDF, the opposition PS) supported the law. For this reason, it is occasionally referred to as the French headscarf ban in the foreign press. Hands off my hijab! Young Muslim women protest proposed French ban [17], In 2012, the United Nations Human Rights Committee stated that the expulsion of a Sikh pupil from his school in 2008 because of his Sikh turban or keski was a violation of the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights signed by France. That debate and ban are separate from the above-discussed debate on the hijab in public schools, in that the new law does not pertain to Islamic scarves but rather to the much rarer full-face versions, as well as other full-face coverings (such as masks and balaclavas), and in that the new law applies to all citizens in public spaces regardless of religion or claimed tradition (and regardless of gender). [47] A photo of the incident spread quickly and led to criticism of the ban. The French parliament has passed several laws on when and where women can wear headscarves. He speaks fluent English and Arabic. Schools funded totally or in part by the national and local governments by law must not force students into religious education; they should remain equally accessible to children of any, or no, faith. Like the French Council of State, the governing body that acts as an adviser to the government on legal matters, it was against French secular policy for girls to wear the hijab in school. However, the rules differ when it comes to headscarves and full-face coverings and this can be confusing because both the full-face. challenging patriarchal norms to dress a certain way, Do Not Sell or Share My Personal Information. 'Hands off my hijab': French Muslims rail against ban on religious garb [8] On 10 October 1989, the girls again refused to take off their scarves when in class. More generally, they are expected to keep a certain reserve and not make comments or demonstrations that may be interpreted as political, religious, or other bias in the course of their duties or as an endorsement of particular religious or partisan political views by the government. Hawa Doucour and her teammates on the Les Hijabeuses soccer team have a simple message to send while playing the game they love: "Hands off my hijab.". Little girls should not be forced to wear the Hijab. The French National Assembly has not taken up these proposals. However, in December 2003, President Chirac extended this policy for all public secondary education establishments, risking fanning the tensions between communities within the multicultural French society. Article 34 of the Constitution of France[15] vests power in Parliament to legislate on the "fundamental principles of teaching", leaving the application of these principles to the executive branch. In public hospitals, employees are expected to respect the principle of secularism. As a result of this history, religious manifestations are considered undesirable in government-operated schools; primary and secondary schools are supposed to be neutral spaces where children can learn away from political or religious pressures, controversies and quarrels. However, Laurent Lvy himself cannot be considered in favor of the veil in schools: "The choice of young women to hide their hair, ears, and neck is decidedly regrettable - because of what it symbolizes.". For example, it was suggested that Mayotte girls may wear small bandanas and light veils (kishall). On the Ground Muslim women footballers spar with French government on hijab ban in sport A day after police banned a protest by the 'Hijabeuses', women footballers fighting for the right to. But as the country begins to emerge from lockdown, wearing masks is mandatory in public places such as schools and on public transport. France debates ban on Muslim veils in universities In December 2003, President Jacques Chirac decided to act on the part of the Stasi report which recommended banning conspicuous religious symbols from schools. French court upholds ban on hijabs at matches. Alongside the banning of the hijab, other religious symbols that are banned from being worn in French state schools include the Sikh turban. This article was published more than2 years ago. As far as patients are concerned, the rule is to respect religious preferences. However, a counter-argument is that the Conseil d'tat, ruling according to current statute law, considered that sweeping prohibitions of religious attire or headgear by administrative authorities was contrary to law. Almost 10 years after France banned girls from wearing veils in state schools in 2004 - along with other religious symbols such as crosses or turbans - the Muslim headscarf is once again. Nada Bashir/CNN The French senate in January voted 160 to 143 to ban the wearing of the hijab and other "ostensible religious symbols" in sports competitions following a proposed amendment. [34] Chirac adopted these findings "in the spirit of secularism", and the law, sometimes referred to as "the veil law", was voted in by the French parliament in March 2004. Because of its terse, broad, vague terms, the law will leave a lot of its interpretation to the administrative and judicial authorities. Susan Price, an Australian activist, argued that "the wedge-politics of racism has always been used to divide the working class, which in France pulled off spectacular rolling strikes against the government in 2003," adding that "the current attack must also be seen as part of a continuum of racist policies which go back to the mid-1990s and the 'Fortress Europe' policies of the major European capitalist governments" designed "to appeal to the support base of Jean-Marie Le Pen's right-wing National Front (FN). It's a struggle that Abdul-Qaadir said has been a "rough" part of her "journey" in her sporting career. The proposals that were also discussed included bans on Muslim mothers wearing . Video: @otiisandjoy imagines a France where people are taking their masks on and off again and racking up fines in an endless circuit. [citation needed]. Thus, when some feminists began defending the headscarf on the grounds of "tradition", Fadela Amara countered: "It's not tradition, it's archaic! Because of this neutrality requirement, students are normally prohibited from conducting religious proselytising or political activism on the premises. Thus, Fadela Amara, the former president of the organisation Ni Putes Ni Soumises, stated that: "The veil is the visible symbol of the subjugation of women, and therefore has no place in the mixed, secular spaces of France's public school system. 2023 The Islamic Information - Duplication not allowed. [24], These arguments are shared by some Islamic feminists. Partially fueled by the fear of a "communitarization" or "Islamization" of French society, the controversy has also fed off fears in certain sections of the Muslim community in France of "forced assimilation" and a slippery slope that would seek to ban more and more expressions of the Muslim faith. In France, wearing the hijab at school was banned because of the anti The Stasi Commission published its report on 11 December 2003, considering that ostentatious displays of religion violated the secular rules of the French school system. The report cites the files of 806 students affected by the law. Now, she says that not only are Muslim women allowed to wear head coverings, "but Jewish men can wear yarmulkes, and Sikh men who wear turbans can all participate. The curriculum for schools in the third category is free, provided that students receive at least some minimal skills in writing, mathematics, etc. The Commission also stated that though increased immigration in France in recent years has created new challenges for the French government, including integration of these immigrants into French society as well as problems of public order, these challenges should be addressed directly, and not by inappropriately limiting the right to freedom of thought, conscience, religion, and belief. [2][10], Scholars have drawn connections between France's regulations on headscarves and historical colonialism, as well as France's difficulties in assimilating the Muslim population into society. The Commission identified the following positions with regard to wearing the Muslim headscarf: The purpose of dressing according to hijab varies from person to person. This is the position taken most notably by, An abandonment of the principle of secularity for the benefit of total religious freedom, and for the recognition of religious communities. For Muslims in France, the February survey showed 42% for and 53% against.
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