Hijab Conference held on the 14th June 2004

Report on Protect-Hijab Launch in the House of Commons

The Assembly for the Protection of Hijab was launched on Monday 14th June at the House of Commons in London, at a gathering of prominent MPs, MEPs, human rights organisations and other supporters.

Ms Fiona McTaggart MP officially helped launch the campaign, showing unequivocal support by stating that while the British government did not “promote the Hijab”, neither would it “prohibit it”, and that it would do all it could to protect the right of Muslim women to wear it. Britain’s diversity and multi-culturalism are something to take pride in and that is the reason the Europe-wide Protect-Hijab campaign was launched in London rather than any other state in the Union.

Messages in support of the fundamental human right of freedom of religion were echoed by Shami Chakrabati of the UK based Liberty organisation, Milena Buyum of the National Assembly Against Racism, Caroline Lucas MEP and George Galloway MP and Ahmad Al-Rawi president of Federation of Islamic Organisations in Europe.
Coordinator of Pro-Hijab, Abeer Pharaon stated that she was delighted that “the campaign is underway to protect the religious freedom of all people, of all religions and no religion, through education and training”.

Groups such as the Islamic Forum Europe committed themselves to working at the grass roots level to promote understanding of the Hijab and other aspects of the Islamic faith through the Protect-Hijab campaign and other projects.

Representing the Muslim Association of Britain, Rajnaara Akhtar stated that “the reason Protect-Hijab was formed was to send out a clear message to all governments in Europe and the world, to say that no state authority has a right to legitimise religious intolerance, and we will not stand by and allow them to do so.”

The issue of the Hijab is one that unites all Muslims as it is an integral part of a Muslim woman’s right to practice her religion. That is why Protect-Hijab is already a worldwide alliance that promises to get stronger as the weeks and months go by. The support that the campaign has attracted clearly reflects the fact that, to most people of the world, justice and freedom are principles that cannot be compromised.