Gender Issues and the Hijab/Burqa
French “gilets jaunes” and racist acts: isolated incidents or defining features of the movement?
Genesis of the movement: protestation against the rising price of fuel and the government policy: Beginning first on the internet, the “gilets jaunes” movement (a reference to the yellow safety jackets which are used as symbol of the movement) protests against the rising price of gas and, more broadly, expresses dissatisfaction towards the Emmanuel Macron…
Free choice and its discontents: Germany debates Muslim women’s attire
What is the meaning of the religious attire worn by some Muslim women? Are hijab and niqab hallmarks of the retrograde nature of Islam? Do they signal radicalisation and submission to male patriarchy – or self-determination and individual empowerment? These questions have been ceaselessly debated across Europe for years. In Germany, a new round of…
French politicians react to UNHCR panel opposition to niqab ban
The United Nations Human Rights Council has said France’s face veil ban is a violation of women’s rights, as it called for a review of the “sweeping” legislation. The body found that the French law, passed in 2010, violated the rights of two French women, who were fined in 2012 for concealing their faces in…
Influential U.S. Imam faces criticism for his comments on the allegations against Kavanaugh
The Muslim-American co-founder of Zaytuna College in Berkeley, California, Imam Zaid Shakir, has faced backlash for his now-deleted post on Facebook which suggested Sharia law should be applied in judging whether Dr Christine Blasey Ford’s allegations against Brett Kavanaugh are credible.
Muslim Council of Britain launches scheme to train women for leadership in mosques and community bodies
The Muslim Council of Britain (MCB), Britain’s leading Muslim organisation, has launched a scheme to train women for leadership in mosques and community bodies. The six-month scheme is currently being undertaken by twenty women, who are given one-to-one mentoring and visit “best-practice mosques”. They are also given public speaking training and training in media relations.