"Hands Off My Hijab!"

Tasfia Ahmad writes about recent protests in Belgium, after the Constitutional Court ruled that universities could prohibit students from wearing headscarves. Over recent weeks, various protests have erupted, as activists fight for the right to express themselves. This article looks further into the laws on women's clothing across the globe; while some nations prohibit certain forms of veiling, others mandate it.

In recent weeks, thousands have been taking to the streets of Belgium, protesting for the right to wear a headscarf at universities. These demonstrations were organized by Muslim women, both with and without the hijab, but also consisted of activists from various backgrounds. The protests took place after Belgium’s Constitutional Court ruled that banning religious symbols, like a hijab, in education does not violate freedom of religion within Belgium.

Protests were organized by four Muslim girls from various feminist associations. These included: Fatima-Zohra Ait El Maâti and Souhaïla Amri of Imazi Reine, Sarah Tulkens of Belges Comme Vous, and Salma Faitah of La Cinquième Vague. All of the collectives for which they work strive for equality and justice, particularly for minority groups. These young women channelled their anger and frustration through protesting and amplifying the voices of the young people.

A protest is a demonstration by a mass group, or collection of groups, of people. Those who are concerned about a particular topic take various sorts of action, in an attempt to bring about change. Political demonstrations mostly consist of marching to one place to another and often begin, or end, with a designated meeting point. Many attend rallies, where they can listen to speakers, and inform others of the issue at hand. This particular movement was founded on July 5, and led to a diverse range of activists uniting, standing in solidarity with Muslim Belgians and immigrants. Some protesters carried signs saying “Take your hands off my headscarf,” “My right” and “Enough.” Others carried their graduation caps to show that they managed to achieve a degree, while upholding their religious principles.

Deliberation over this new law commenced at the beginning of June, after the Consitutional Court of Brussels received a complaint from Muslim university students. According to the Brussel Times, “The decision was prompted by a complaint from a group of Muslim women who were studying at the Francisco Ferrer Brussels university college, which practices such a ban." The Brussels court, in turn, referred the case to the Constitutional Court.”

However, this decision may not come as a surprise for some, as a similar policy was in effect in 2011. At the time, police enforced a federal law which banned people from wearing clothing that covers the face, or large parts of it, in public places. Those who violated this rule could be fined or detained for up to seven days. Despite public outcry, Belgium’s Constitutional Court upheld the ban in December 2012, ruling that it was necessary to protect public safety, ensure equality between men and women, and preserve “a certain conception of ‘living together’ in society.” This rule mostly targets Muslim women, who are commonly known for wearing an abaya (a loose-fitting black cloak) or niqab, a veil that covers the face and only reveals the eyes.

Yet, Belgium is not the only country to enact such laws. According to a Pew Research Survey, 50 of the 198 countries and territories included in the study had at least one law or policy regulating women’s religious attire in 2012 and 2013. “About three-quarters of those countries (39 of the 50, or 78%) had a law or policy limiting women’s ability to wear religious attire, while about a quarter (12 of the 50, or 24%) had at least one law or policy requiring women to wear particular attire.” Some of these policies applied nationwide, while others were applied in, and varied at, different levels, whether that be state, local or provincial. One example is Russia; in the territory of Stavropol, Muslim headscarves, or hijabs, are banned in public schools. On the other hand, republics such as Chechyna require women to wear hijabs in all public buildings. Laws or policies limiting women’s ability to wear religious attire are especially common in Europe, where 18 out of 45 countries had at least one such restriction in 2012-2013.

Unlike Europe, there are four countries in the Middle East and North Africa whose laws require women to wear religious attire. Namely, these are Iraq, Libya, Saudi Arabia, and Sudan. Authorities in Saudi Arabia, for instance, continued mandate the wearing of abaya for women. Nonetheless, there are still regulations and policies that impact women in different communities and backgrounds, especially Muslim women, who may be targeted for their clothing or fashion style.

With the widespread number of COVID-19 cases in Europe, countries like Belgium have taken the initiative to ensure every citizen is wearing a mask. Yet, both niqabs and burkas remain prohibited, despite the fact they display the same "amount" of face as masks. Many are calling on governmental bodies to reassess their laws, arguing that they are both ironic and discriminatory. According to Marco Perolini, Europe Regional Researcher at Amnesty International, "Framing full-face veils as a security threat or as a symbol of women’s oppression is imbued with discriminatory stereotypes that are endemic to the “othering” of Muslim women because of their religion. Prior to coronavirus, face coverings were perceived to be a security threat, but governments are now encouraging their use, prioritising the safety of its people.

The irony and discrimination in this situation is eye-opening as different bodies of government in many countries focused on face veils and, more generally, covering one’s face, more as being a security threat, rather than prioritizing the overall idea of face-covering to ensure the safety of others within each country.

As of right now, women are still protesting and enacting change, in hopes of protecting both religion and education. People around the world are fighting alongside Muslim women, using hashtags such as: #TouchePasAMesEtudes (Don’t touch my studies), and #HijabisFightBack. Although the Constitutional Court ruled such symbols could be banned from July, many universities are still allowing their students to come in with a hijab or any religious attire.

One Twitter user called on all universities to declare whether or not they would accept people wearing headscarves. Twelve different institutions responded, and said they would still let people wear other religious clothing, specifically noting headscarves. “Equality and inclusion are central to the VUB. Diversity is a fact, at our university as well. So let it be clear that every student is welcome with us regardless of gender, origin, or social status. With or without a headscarf,” tweeted the Vrije Universiteit Brussel (VUB – Free University of Brussels).

Muslim women in particular are still advocating in the streets of Belgium, pushing their legislators to make the tough decisions. Until such changes are made, the fight is far from over.

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