Austria's Lower House Passes Controversial Headscarf Ban for Under-14s in Schools
In a move that has sparked outrage among human rights groups and Muslim communities, Austria's lower house of parliament has approved a ban on Muslim headscarves for girls under the age of 14 in schools. The legislation, which is set to take effect in February, aims to prevent girls from wearing headscarves "that cover the head in accordance with Islamic traditions," with fines ranging from €150 to €800 ($175-$930) for non-compliance.
The ban was proposed by a coalition of centrist parties and backed by far-right Freedom Party members, despite opposition from all other parties except the Greens. Integration Minister Claudia Plakolm claimed that headscarves were a "symbol of oppression," while Education Minister Christoph Wiederkehr argued that young girls were being pressured to wear them by their families or unrelated boys.
Critics argue that the ban is discriminatory and will only add to the racist climate towards Muslims in Austria. Amnesty International stated that it would "add to the current racist climate towards Muslims" and warned of the negative impact on social cohesion. The Iggoe, a body representing Muslim communities, said the ban would "jeopardise social cohesion" and marginalize girls.
The new law follows previous attempts by Austria's government to restrict headscarves for children. In 2019, a ban was introduced for under-10s in primary schools but was struck down by the Constitutional Court due to concerns about discrimination against Muslims.
Human rights groups have condemned the proposal, with some warning of the potential for girls to be stigmatised and marginalised as a result of wearing headscarves. The Amazone women's rights association described the ban as sending "the message that decisions are being made about their bodies and that this is legitimate."
The proposed legislation has sparked widespread criticism and concern, with many fearing it will further exacerbate tensions between Muslims and non-Muslims in Austria.
In a move that has sparked outrage among human rights groups and Muslim communities, Austria's lower house of parliament has approved a ban on Muslim headscarves for girls under the age of 14 in schools. The legislation, which is set to take effect in February, aims to prevent girls from wearing headscarves "that cover the head in accordance with Islamic traditions," with fines ranging from €150 to €800 ($175-$930) for non-compliance.
The ban was proposed by a coalition of centrist parties and backed by far-right Freedom Party members, despite opposition from all other parties except the Greens. Integration Minister Claudia Plakolm claimed that headscarves were a "symbol of oppression," while Education Minister Christoph Wiederkehr argued that young girls were being pressured to wear them by their families or unrelated boys.
Critics argue that the ban is discriminatory and will only add to the racist climate towards Muslims in Austria. Amnesty International stated that it would "add to the current racist climate towards Muslims" and warned of the negative impact on social cohesion. The Iggoe, a body representing Muslim communities, said the ban would "jeopardise social cohesion" and marginalize girls.
The new law follows previous attempts by Austria's government to restrict headscarves for children. In 2019, a ban was introduced for under-10s in primary schools but was struck down by the Constitutional Court due to concerns about discrimination against Muslims.
Human rights groups have condemned the proposal, with some warning of the potential for girls to be stigmatised and marginalised as a result of wearing headscarves. The Amazone women's rights association described the ban as sending "the message that decisions are being made about their bodies and that this is legitimate."
The proposed legislation has sparked widespread criticism and concern, with many fearing it will further exacerbate tensions between Muslims and non-Muslims in Austria.
They're banning headscarves for young girls just because they don't want them to cover their heads, but it's not just about the scarf, it's about who gets to decide what's best for these kids. And to make things worse, the government is saying that wearing a headscarf is "a symbol of oppression", I think that's really unfair and dismissive of people's choices... 
I'm all for kids to be able to express themselves freely, you know? Like, if a girl wants to wear a headscarf because it makes her feel comfortable or connected to her culture, shouldn't that be okay? 
It's like, totally not cool to stigmatize someone just because of what they're wearing. And what about families who want their kids to have the freedom to make choices for themselves? This ban is just gonna create more drama and division in schools...like, no thanks 
? Austria's new law banning Muslim headscarves for under-14s is just so messed up. It's like, what even is the point of regulating something that's supposed to be a personal choice? The fact that it's got people on both sides getting all worked up shows how deep-seated these prejudices are 
I don't get why some countries need to regulate what girls wear to school 
. It's like they're saying "you can't be yourself" 
. That would be crazy, right? 
. It's like Austria is trying to dictate how people should dress and it's not right at all 
. I'm surprised the Constitutional Court didn't strike this one down too 
. And can we talk about how much pressure these girls are gonna be under to conform? It's already hard enough being a teenager, let alone having some politician breathing down their necks about what they're wearing 
... can u believe they're actually banning headscarves for girls under 14? like, what's the point of that?! 
we should be promoting understanding and acceptance, not pushing people away with laws that are so unfair 
but at least that wouldn't be discriminatory based on religion. The fact that this law targets Muslim headscarves specifically is super unfair 
like what's the big deal about a headscarf?! its just one tiny piece of cloth on their head lol why cant ppl just agree to disagree? its not like its hurting anyone 
. What if someone gets bullied at school because of this law? That would be so wrong! 