ISNA CONDEMS TUNISISIAN HIJAB BAN AS A HUMAN RIGHTS VIOLATION
Plainfield, IN 10/17/2006 – The Islamic Society of North America (ISNA), the largest Muslim umbrella organization in the US and Canada, is deeply alarmed about the recent persecution of Muslim women who wear the Islamic headscarf (hijab) in Tunisia. Human rights groups reported that school girls with the headscarf are being harassed to remove the head cover in schools and universities. ISNA is greatly concerned about the rising harassment cases against students who wear scarves in these academic institutions.
This ban against headscarves is not only a violation of religious freedom, but it is a clear violation against the personal freedom of women to choose freely what to wear. ISNA strongly rejects the rationale of Tunisian authorities who fear that the appeal to freedom of choice is a mere pretext used by Islamists. Covering the head and body has been practiced by Muslim women for over a thousand of years, and continue to be the personal choice of millions of Muslim women the world over. We urge the Tunisian government to be sensitive and cognizant about the rights of Muslim women in practicing their personal freedom to wear what Islam views as an obligatory code of dress.
It is a contradiction of principles, practices, and standards of the government of Tunisia to defend its stance on claims of protecting women’s rights while female students’ are being discriminated against, particularly in the academic institutions, for donning the headscarf. It is not acceptable for students who observe hijab to be compelled to give up their rights in obtaining an education for simply choosing to adhere to religious practices that in no way interferes and/or imposes a certain ideology on others around them.
Proper legislations must be represented in educational institutions and public buildings to ensure that all women’s rights, without exceptions, are being implemented. The ban on hijab clearly violates Tunisian women’s rights and inhibits women from being an equal participant in the Tunisian society.
ISNA urges the Tunisian government to immediately revoke their stance on women’s right to the freedom in choosing what to wear and recognize that equal rights must be extended to all members of a the Tunisian society.
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