Dutch-language public schools in Belgium will ban the wearing of hijab in classes. The ban will affect 700 schools in the northern region of Flanders, including some in Brussels. School officials argue that the ban was taken to guarantee equal treatment of all pupils within the school grounds. Most schools in Flanders are Catholic and…
To address the issues surrounding the wearing of religious symbols in public areas, this manual explores how the European Convention on Human Rights relates to the freedom of thought, conscience, and religion; identifies key concepts found in the jurisprudence of the European Court of Human Rights; and examines the role and responsibilities of both states…
The Bulgarian government approved a draft bill banning hijab and other religious symbols in schools. “We express our disagreement and bitterness with this decision,” said Hussein Hafazov, of the Chief Mufti office. Hafazov also said that the move would increase community tensions in Bulgaria, citing arson attacks on mosques and other Muslim buildings, and growing…
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…
A panel of Christian and Muslims gathered to affirm that all people can be both citizens and believers, and that being a citizen – or being a person of faith – are not mutually exclusive identities. This is a point made in a final statement released from the conference “Being Citizens of Europe and a…
