The group’s logo

By Ahmad Maher, IOL Staff

CAIRO, June 14 (IslamOnline.net) - A new group, comprising a network of British and international organizations, was officially declared Monday, June 14, to defend the right of Muslim women in Europe and world-wide to wear hijab.

The Assembly for the Protection of Hijab (Pro-Hijab) came to light during a press conference at the House of Commons’ Jubilee Room, Pro-Hijab Activist Rajnaara Akhtar told IslamOnline.net over the phone.

"The conference has sent a strong message that all people, whether individuals, human rights activists and politicians are in support of the right of Muslim women to freedom of religion and wearing hijab," she said.

Akhtar said the conference was basically attended by Members of Parliament (MPs), Members of European Parliament (MEPs) and representatives of British and European human rights organizations.

Other participants included representatives of the National Assembly Against Racism (NAAR) and Liberty Human Rights group, which is one of Britain ’s time-honored and leading rights groups, she added.

"Unfortunately, Mayor of London Ken Livingstone did not make it, but he is a strong supporter of our effort," Akhtar said.

Hijab Conference

Asked about the nascent group’s next step, Akhtar said Pro-Hijab is setting stage now for a conference on hijab, which will be hosted by Mr. Livingstone on July 12 at Greater London Authority.

She said the conference will bring together a cohort of leading Muslim figures, chiefly Sheikh Youssef Al-Qaradawi, who will be the guest of honor, and Tariq Ramadan.

"Representatives from many different organizations from Europe and the rest
of the world are being invited and are expected to attend," AKhtar added.

She said the conference will formulate an action plan to "basically educate people on hijab, multi-culturalism and diversity".

Defending The Right

The group coordinator, Abeer Pharaon, said in an e-mail to IOL that the group was to "campaign peacefully using all available legal means to protect the right of every Muslim woman to exercise her religious duties unimpeded".

"The body was formed in response to the recent moves in countries across Europe to restrict religious practices and curb expressions of faith which have a negative impact on Muslim women in particular," she said.  

Pharaon also said that the advocacy group will also seek to "increase awareness and tolerance between people of all faiths and no faith".

"This campaign aims to remove the negative stereotypical image of the hijab which lies at the root of this discrimination, to quell the spread of the 'hijab ban' and work through all peaceful means to repeal laws that ban the hijab wherever they are in place," she added.  

The Pro-Hijab campaign is initiated by the Muslim Association of Britain (MAB) and the Muslim Women Society (MWS).

It is supported by the Muslim Council of Britain (MCB), Islamic Society of Britain (ISB), United Sikhs, Islamic Forum Europe (IFE), Federation of Student Islamic Societies (FOSIS), the Federation of Islamic Organizations in Europe (FIOE) and NAAR.  

Hijab has taken central stage recently in several European countries, which banned it in state-run schools and public institutions.

France has triggered the controversy by adopting a bill banning hijab in state schools.

The U.S.-based Human Rights Watch (HRW) said the French move is "discriminatory".

The local parliament in the German state of Lower Saxony voted on Wednesday, April 28, in favor of a new law banning Muslim public school teachers from wearing hijab.

It became the second state to approve the ban, after the legislature in the southern state of Baden-Wuerttemberg voted almost unanimously in April 1 for a similar law.

Islam sees hijab as an obligatory code of dress, not a religious symbol displaying one’s affiliations – unlike the symbolic Christian crucifixes or Jewish Kappas.