LONDON: Austria has passed a law banning headscarves in schools for girls under the age of 14.
The conservative-led coalition of three centrist parties, the ÖVP, the SPÖ and the Neos, says the law is a “clear commitment to gender equality”, but critics say it will fuel anti-Muslim feeling in the country and could be unconstitutional.
The measure will apply to girls in both public and private schools.
The terms of the new law mean girls under 14 will be forbidden from wearing “traditional Muslim” head coverings such as hijabs or burkas. France, Belgium, the Netherlands and a few other European nations do have some kind of ban on headcovers, and Austria had already banned full face covers back in the day in 2017. Middle Eastern countries do have very strict laws, even against foreign tourists and expats, to protect their national identity. So, many conservatives argue Europe and the West must protect their own identity as the Middle East does.
