With the start of the new school year, a law banning girls under 14 from wearing traditional Muslim headscarves in schools has come into force in Austria. The restriction applies to both public and private educational institutions. Authorities explain the decision as an effort to "protect girls' rights" and "ensure gender equality," reports infohub.kz.
Integration Minister Claudia Bauer stated: "The headscarf is a sign of oppression and a means of controlling girls from an early age."
Teachers are tasked with enforcing the new rules: first, they are to hold talks with students and their legal guardians, and in case of repeated violations, notify child protection services. As a last resort, parents or guardians may face a fine of up to 800 euros (about 423,000 tenge).
It is worth noting that in 2020, Austria's Constitutional Court had already overturned a similar ban on headscarves in primary schools, ruling it contrary to the principle of religious neutrality.