UN experts demand lifting of ban on wearing hijab by female athletes in France

GENEVA: UN human rights experts have called a decision to ban female athletes from wearing the hijab in France “discriminatory”.

France has cited its strict secularism rules to ban its athletes from wearing religious symbols, including the hijab, during the 2024 Olympics in Paris.

And the French football and basketball federations also decided to exclude players wearing the hijab from competitions, including at the amateur level.

These decisions “are disproportionate and discriminatory and infringe on their (French athletes’) rights to freely demonstrate their identity, their religion or belief in private and public life, and to take part in cultural life,” said a statement signed by eight independent organizations. UN experts.

“Muslim women and girls who wear the hijab should have equal rights to participate in cultural and sporting life, and to participate in all aspects of French society of which they are part,” they said.

The statement was signed by the UN special rapporteurs on cultural rights, on minority issues, freedom of religion or belief, as well as members of the UN working group on discrimination against women and girls.

These are independent experts appointed by the UN Human Rights Council, but who do not speak on behalf of the United Nations.

France’s laws on secularism are designed to preserve the neutrality of the state in religious matters, while guaranteeing citizens the right to freely practice their religion.

Among other things, they prohibit school students and teachers, as well as government employees, from wearing “ostentatious” religious symbols.

However, experts insisted that “the neutrality and secular character of the state are not legitimate grounds for imposing restrictions on the rights to freedom of expression and freedom of religion or belief.”

“Any restrictions on these freedoms must be proportionate, necessary to achieve one of the objectives stated in international law (security, health and public order, the rights and freedoms of others), and justified by facts… and not by presumptions or assumptions.” or prejudice,” they said.

“In a context of intolerance and strong stigmatization against women and girls who choose to wear the hijab, France must take all measures at its disposal to protect them, protect their rights, and promote equality and mutual respect for cultural diversity.”