The Austrian government is planning to ban the hijab for schoolgirls under 14, citing “child welfare” and religious interpretation.

The Austrian government intends to officially ban schoolgirls under the age of 14 from wearing the hijab. This was reported by the Minister of Youth and Family Affairs, Claudia Plakolm, in an interview with the Austria Press Agency.

According to Plakolm, this ban is aimed not only at religious concerns but also at protecting the general well-being and rights of children. In her words, the headscarf is especially unnecessary for girls under 14. Therefore, the planned ban is based not on religious reasons but on the welfare of children and the educational environment.

It is still unknown what measures will be applied to girls who refuse to remove the hijab or breach the ban, and when this new regulation will take effect.

Austria’s Constitutional Court struck down an earlier headscarf ban in 2020, partly because it targeted Muslims.

Source: Anadolu Agency