In their most recent report on the issue, Human Rights Watch reveals that German state bans on religious symbols and clothing for teachers and other civil servants discriminate against Muslim women who wear the headscarf.
This 67-page report, “Discrimination in the Name of Neutrality: Headscarf Bans for Teachers and Civil Servants in Germany,” is based on extensive research over an eight-month period, and includes interviews with Muslim women in Germany affected by the ban. The report analyzes the human rights implications of the bans and their effect on the lives of Muslim women teachers, including those who have been employed for many years. It says that the bans have caused some women to give up their careers or to leave Germany, where they have lived all their lives.
Through the report, Human Rights Watch calls on state governments to revise and repeal legislation on prohibition of religious dress and symbols and ensure that their legislation and procedures comply with Germany’s international human rights obligations. They also call on German states to guarantee in particular that regulations do not discriminate on grounds of gender or religion and that freedom of religion and expression are fully protected.
Read the report description (in English):
Human Rights Watch website
