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Assembly
for the
Protection of
Hijab
124 Harrowdene Rd, London HA0 2JF
Tel: 0044 (0) 208 908 9109
Fax: 0044 (0) 208 908 9108
www.prohijab.net
E-mail:
info@prohijab.net
17th December 2004
PRESS RELEASE
On the anniversary of the French ban on hijab, Assembly for the
Protection of Hijab assesses one year of discrimination and action
On 17th December 2003, President Chirac of France confirmed his
support for the findings of the Statsi Committee which recommended the
banning of all religious symbols in French state schools.
The ban on Hijab and other expressions of religion by Sikhs and Jewish
people has divided French society, aiding the growth of racism and
Islamaphobia. In the first school term since the ban was enforced,
already dozens of Muslim girls and some Sikh boys have been expelled
from schools for wearing the Hijab or the turban.
The ban has affected many Muslim girls in different adverse ways,
including 15 year old Cennet Doganay who felt compelled to adopt the
extreme measure of shaving her head as an expression of deep anger at
the ban which denied her the basic freedoms of dress and religion.
Others who went to school wearing Hijab in defiance of the ban were
treated like criminals; placed in effective solitary confinement until
they chose to either remove the Hijab or leave the school.
Assembly for the Protection of Hijab was formed following the worrying
trend of religious intolerance across Europe and the wider world,
which specifically attacked the Hijab. In France, whilst the law
covers all religious symbols, it has been consistently referred to as
the law banning the hijab and has affected Muslims disproportionately.
However, in similar proposals in Germany, Belgium and Italy, the Hijab
was targeted singularly and specifically.
Since its inception, the Assembly has worked hard to educate society,
change public opinion, publicise abuses of human rights and lobby
politicians to change policy. The pickets that began in December 2003
expanded as did support for women’s right to choose to wear Hijab.
Following the launch of the Assembly with the support of the British
government, European MPs, the Mayor of London and other supporters, a
landmark conference was held at City Hall London. This important and
high profile event brought together varied perspectives on the
question of the ban. Held on 12th July 2004, it drew participants from
over 16 countries around the globe, representing over 200
organisations.
In October, together with national anti-racist organisations, European
human rights groups and others, the Assembly took part in one of the
largest seminars at the European Social Forum in London, which
attracted over 20,000 people from across Europe. This enabled us to
further our links on a Europe-wide level with those who support a
woman’s right to choose to wear the Hijab and defend human rights for
all.
Mobilisation and lobbying at the European Parliament began in
September 2004, and has culminated into a Written Declaration
to be presented before the Parliament on 21st February 2005 by
Caroline Lucas MEP and a spectrum of other cross-party MEPs. For the
Declaration to be a success, it needs the support of half of all of
the European MPs. The Assembly will start a campaign to mobilise
constituencies across Europe to urge their MEPs to sign the written
declaration within a period of three months from the day it is
presented.
The Assembly believes that the ban on Hijab has alienated entire
communities of people from public life in countries such as France,
Germany, Turkey and Tunisia. These girls will grow up having been
denied the right to education due to their religious convictions,
blighting their prospects of success in the future. The Assembly
endeavours to continue in the struggle to free the Hijab from such
persecution across Europe and the rest of the world.
[END]
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media department on
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