Doubts over possible headscarf ban in Denmark

05-09-2022

Northern Europe

Last week, a special government commission in Denmark proposed banning headscarves from primary schools. However, two members of the Commission seem to have changed their minds. They argue that banning a headscarf in primary schools is complicated when it comes to older girls who choose to wear a hijab.

The special government commission, the so-called Commission for the forgotten Women's struggle, has been set up to deal with ethnic minorities in Danish society, Vart Land writes. Recently, it proposed to ban headscarves for children in primary schools. The proposal sparked a large debate in Denmark. Now, two members of the Commission changed their minds.

"I don't think a hijab ban is a solution if you want to fight negative social control in Denmark, Kefa Abu Ras, one of the commission members, writes on Facebook. According to Abu Ras, the Danish government should discourage the use of headscarves in primary schools and teach the children about their rights to freedom instead of forbidding the use of headscarves. Abu Ras believes that if children know about their rights, they will gain the strength to stand up and demand their own freedom.

Furthermore, banning headscarves can have unintended results for older girls who choose voluntarily to wear a hijab. Lise Egholm, the other committee member who changed her mind on the headscarf issue, said so to DR. "We will not allow a scarf in grades 0 to 6 or 7. In the 8th and 9th grades, they can wear all the scarves they want. I could live with that", Egholm stated. She argues that for some Muslims, it is important to start wearing a headscarf after their first menstruation and wants to find a compromise that allows them to continue this practice.

The chairman of the government commission emphasises that most members of the Commission are still behind the proposal. Yet, she also stresses that the plans are only proposals yet. "I welcome all good arguments both for and against our proposal. And so, in the end, it is up to the politicians whether they want to go ahead with the proposals."

Discrimination

Jens Elo Rytter, a law professor at the University of Copenhagen, sees more problems with a possible headscarf ban at primary schools. He says that it could potentially be a violation of human rights. "It is discrimination if headscarves are banned, and it is okay to use Jewish or Christian symbols. Outstanding arguments are required if one must justify why one group's symbols should be banned over others", Rytter said to Folkenskolen.dk. Especially when girls choose voluntarily to wear a headscarf, it would be discriminatory if they were not allowed to do so, he argued.

A woman wearing a headscarf leaves a polling station during general elections in Vienna, Austria. Photo AFP, Joe Klamar

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