Austria's Islamic headscarf ban in force as under-14s go back to school

Image source, Getty ImagesByBethany BellVienna correspondent As the new school year begins in Austria, a law banning headscarves in schools for girls under 14 has gone into force.

A lei proíbe 'traditional Muslim' coberturas de cabeça, como hijabs ou burkas, em escolas públicas e privadas em todo o país.

Integration Minister Claudia Bauer, from the conservative People's Party (ÖVP), says the headscarf is "a sign of oppression and a means of controlling girls from the earliest childhood.

But critics say the new law is fuelling anti-Muslim feeling in the country and could be unconstitutional.

The law was brought in by the conservative-led coalition of three centrist parties, the ÖVP, the Social Democrats (SPÖ) and the liberal Neos. They say the law is a "clear commitment to gender equality" and is intended to protect the rights of young girls.

Carla Amina Baghajati, da Comunidade Islâmica oficial da Áustria (IGGÖ), disse à BBC que a organização "se opõe firmemente à proibição.

We believe it unjustifiably restricts the fundamental right to freedom of religion and disproportionately affects Muslim girls," she said.

Rather than protecting children, it singles out a specific religious practice and risks excluding the very children it claims to support.

O IGGÖ disse que apoiaria ações judiciais de meninas e suas famílias “que acreditam que seus direitos fundamentais estão sendo infringidos” e que desejam levar seus casos ao Tribunal Constitucional.

The court struck down a previous ban on headscarves in primary schools in 2020 on the basis that it contravened the principle of Austria's religious neutrality.

Teachers are expected to enforce the new ban if they see a child wearing a headscarf by holding a series of talks with the student and their legal guardians.

Se houver violações repetidas, os serviços de proteção à criança devem ser notificados e, como último recurso, os responsáveis podem enfrentar multas de até €800 (£685).

Image source, Getty ImagesImage caption, An 11-year-old student protests the ban in Vienna back in February with the banner "meine Kopftuch, meine Entscheidung" - "my headscarf, my decision.

Some teachers have expressed concerns about having to enforce the ban.

O Sigi Maurer, do Partido Verde, acusou o Ministro da Educação Christoph Wiederkehr, do liberal NEOS, de “criar novos conflitos e repassar-os aos professores.”.

She said teachers were "already under enormous strain" and that Wiederkehr wanted to "foist the role of police officers onto them" on top of their other duties.

The opposition far-right Freedom Party (FPÖ) says the current ban doesn't go far enough. It is calling for a general prohibition on headscarves and face coverings in schools for students and teachers alike.

A Ricarda Berger, do FPÖ, disse que não há 'lugar para o Islam político na Áustria, e certamente não em nossas escolas.

Austria's Chancellor Christian Stocker, leader of the ÖVP, recently called for a constitutional ban on political Islam, telling Austrian public broadcaster ORF he did not "want to live in an Islamic state.

In France there has been a ban on wearing any conspicuous religious symbols, including headscarves, turbans and kippas, in schools for more than 20 years.

The Austrian law differs from French legislation in that it specifically targets head coverings worn by Muslim women.

Áustria, assim como vários outros países europeus, incluindo França, Bélgica e Dinamarca, proíbe o uso do véu facial completo (niqabs ou burkas) em público.

Baghajati said the IGGÖ was concerned about "a troubling trend" across Europe "in which complex social challenges are reduced to symbolic measures aimed at minority groups.

Essas abordagens podem gerar atenção política, mas raramente resolvem os problemas subjacentes," ela disse.