United Nations rights experts have condemned the hijab ban in France, barring women and girls who wear the Muslim headscarf from sports competitions, News About Nigeria reports.
In a statement signed by the UN special rapporteurs on cultural rights, minority issues, and freedom of religion and belief and members of the UN working group on discrimination against women and girls on Monday, the experts described the ban as discriminatory.
They also demanded that the ban be reversed.
Recall that France invoked its strict rules on secularism to ban its athletes from wearing religious symbols, including the hijab, during the Paris 2024 Olympics.
France’s football and basketball federations have also opted to exclude players wearing the headscarf from competitions, including at the amateur level.
The eight independent UN experts, however, stated that this infringes on the rights of French athletes to freely manifest their identity, their religion, or belief in private and in public, and to take part in cultural life.
The statement reads, “These decisions are disproportionate and discriminatory and infringe on their rights (of French athletes) to freely manifest their identity, their religion or belief in private and in public, and to take part in cultural life,” said a statement signed by eight independent UN experts.
“Muslim women and girls who wear the hijab must have equal rights to participate in cultural and sporting life and to take part in all aspects of French society of which they are a part.
“The neutrality and secular nature of the state is not legitimate grounds for imposing restrictions on the rights to freedom of expression and freedom of religion or belief.”
“Any limitations of these freedoms must be proportionate, necessary to reach one of the objectives stated in international law (safety, health, and public order; the rights and freedoms of others), and justified by facts and not by presumptions, assumptions, or prejudices.
“In a context of intolerance and strong stigmatisation of women and girls who choose to wear the hijab, France must take all measures at its disposal to protect them, to safeguard their rights, and to promote equality and mutual respect for cultural diversity.”
