On Thursday, Austrian lawmakers overwhelmingly passed a law banning headscarves for girls under 14 in schools, a move that rights groups and experts argue is discriminatory and may exacerbate societal divisions.
Austria’s conservative-led government – under pressure with anti-immigration sentiment is running high proposed the ban earlier this year, arguing it is aimed at protecting girls “from oppression”, New.Az reports, citing France24.
In 2019 the country introduced a ban on headscarves in primary schools, but the constitutional court struck it down.
This time the government insists that its law is constitutional, though experts have suggested it could be seen as discriminating against one religion – Islam – and putting children in an uncomfortable position.
The law prevents girls younger than 14 from wearing headscarves that “cover the head in accordance with Islamic traditions” in all schools.
After a debate Thursday, only the opposition Green party voted against the ban.
Ahead of the vote, lawmaker Yannick Shetty of the liberal NEOS said the headscarf “is not just an item of clothing” but “sexualises girls”.
“When a girl… is told that she must hide her body… to protect herself from the gaze of men, it’s not a religious ritual, but oppression,” Integration Minister Claudia Plakolm said when presenting the bill.
The ban, which applies to “all forms” of the Islamic veil including hijabs and burqas, would take full effect with the start of the new school year in September, Plakolm said.