French ban on veils
Protecting women or violating their rights?
The French government's decision to ban the wearing of veils in public as what it considered a measure of security seems to have completely gone against its purpose. The obvious opposition from Muslim women who choose to wear veils was apparent from the day the ban came in to effect on April 11, 2011. Not only did it also raise eyebrows globally, it has caught the attention of the leading human rights organization, Amnesty International.
France's justification for its decision is that it was necessary for public safety and to protect women from being pressured into wearing full face veils. However, this is no way took into account the many women who do not regard wearing the veil as a violation of their rights, as it is made out to be, and that they choose to do so of their own accord.
Amnesty International argues that the state can protect women against such pressures by combating against violence towards women, gender stereotypes and discrimination. It goes on to say that this ban is a travesty of justice and a shame for France and that there is no justification for punishing women for wearing what they want.
It seems appropriate to ask therefore what precisely was implied by the French government in passing this ban which has now even caught the eye of human rights groups. Surely it is aware that out of the millions of Muslim women living in France, only 2,000 actually wear any sort of face covering veil.
In light of the extremely high rate of unemployment, the failing euro, the economic crisis, the depleting national health insurance funds and so on, surely the French government has more to do than exercise its authority on a minority of Muslim women who simply desire to dress as they please?
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