Do you think the head scarves ban in France is a violation of human rights? I do think that Frances headscarf ban is a violation of human rights specifically the right to religion and belief and the right to equality. Muslim women choose to wear scarves (hijab) because they believe that it is a commandment from God(Allah) for modesty and that by doing so they are demonstrating their devotion to him. Others where hijab as a way to express their identity as Muslims and as a representation of their cultural connection to the Islamic region.
The ban is in direct violation of Muslims women’s right to their belief and is basically telling them to go against it. It is treating their faith like it is inferior to the secularistic principles that France is governed by and this is a violation of the right to equality. Do you think being required to wear a headscarf violates the human rights of women and girls? Being required to wear a headscarf based on a religious belief is not a violation of the human rights of women and girls because in this case, it is a principle that you subscribe to when you pledge allegiance to that faith.
But, it should also mean that if you decide to follow a different path you are released from that requirement. When families or Muslim men force their daughters and wives to wear scarfs, this is where the violation occurs because they are limiting that woman’s freedom of choice. Can freedom of religion and secularism coexist? How might they support one another? How might they undermine one another? In your opinion is the law justified?
Secularism in itself in the weakening of Secularism in the political, philosophical and sociocultural systems of the world. By definition, it opposed religious practices in society and therefore cannot effectively exist with freedom of religion. This does not mean that these two ideas can’t work for a time but, that time will be shortlived.
Co-existing would require people on each side to respect each other perspective and we have lived in a time like that but things have changed. Promoters of secularism require that religious practices are kept in the shadows and this directly goes against religious practices. Those that support religion want the freedom to practice their beliefs without restriction.
My opinion is that the law is not justified. The universal declaration of rights outlines the freedom of religion and belief. This law goes against the religion of one set of people to support the belief of another group. This is not what equality looks like and I think that the law should be revised to find a balance that can please both parties.
References
- CNN.com International . (2004). Muslims protest at headscarf ban Retrieved from http://edition.cnn.com/2004/WORLD/europe/01/17/france.headscarves/index.html?iref=storysearch
- EU Learning. (n.d). Case Study: Headscarves and French Schools Retrieved from https://carleton.ca/ces/eulearning/politics/human-rights/case-study-headscarves-and-french-schools/
- Phil Zuckerman. (2018). What Is Secularism? Retrieved from https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog/the-secular-life/201808/what-is-secularism