UN Blasts France for Banning Abaya in Schools
OHCHR spokesperson Marta Hurtado said late on Monday that although the UN body was not in a position to comment in detail given the absence of information on the French decision and plans for implementation, “it was worth recalling that according to international human rights standards, limitations on manifestations of religion or belief, including choice of clothing, were only permitted in very limited circumstances – including public safety, public order, and public health or morals.”
“In addition, under international human rights law, measures adopted in the name of public order must be appropriate, necessary, and proportionate,” she added.
“A further point was that achieving gender equality required understanding the barriers that prevented women and girls from making free choices, and creating an environment which supported their own decision-making, including but not limited to the choice of dress.”
On Sunday, French Education Minister Gabriel Attal told the local TF1 TV channel that wearing the abaya will no longer be allowed in schools.
Source: Middle East Monitor
