What’s Happening in France

France is known for its values of liberty, equality, and fraternity. These ideas are written into its constitution and repeated worldwide as a model for democracy. But when it comes to Muslim women and girls who wear the hijab, these promises are not being kept. Over the last twenty years, the French government has passed laws that limit when and where Muslim women can wear religious clothing like the hijab or abaya (a long, loose-fitting robe worn by some Muslim women). These laws apply to public schools, sports competitions, and, most recently, everyday classroom wear.

The government says these laws are meant to support secularism, or laïcité, which means keeping religion out of public spaces. But these rules are not fair to everyone. They mostly affect Muslims, especially girls and women who wear the hijab. Some people think these laws help keep the country united, but they do the opposite. They make people feel left out. The laws send a message that certain people are not welcome in France. For Muslim girls, it can feel like they have to choose between their religion and going to school. These laws make it harder for them to feel like they belong in French society.

Timeline 

In 2004, France banned all "conspicuous religious symbols" in public schools. This included Christian crosses, Jewish kippahs, and Muslim hijabs, but in reality, the ban was mostly aimed at Muslim girls. In 2010, a new law banned full-face coverings in public spaces. In 2016, some mayors tried to ban the burkini, a modest swimsuit worn by some Muslim women. In 2021, the Senate passed an amendment to ban the hijab for girls under eighteen in public spaces. In 2023, a new rule banned abayas in classrooms.

These laws keep adding up. Each time, the government claims to be protecting French values. But in reality, the laws show a pattern. They target visible signs of Muslim identity. They treat Muslim women as threats to society. They believe Muslim women lack freedom and are under the authority of others. But many women wear the hijab or abaya by choice. When the government tells them they cannot do that, it takes away their freedom instead of protecting it.

What Human Rights Say

International law protects the right to practice religion. The Universal Declaration of Human Rights says that everyone has the right to freedom of thought, conscience, and religion. This includes the right to express religion through clothing and practice.  The European Convention on Human Rights also protects this right under Article 9.  These documents say that people can be limited only when it is necessary for safety, health, or public order. However, wearing a hijab does not create a safety risk. It is simply a personal and religious choice.

France has signed both of these human rights agreements. Regardless, it continues to make laws that go against them. France is not protecting safety. It is limiting freedom for a specific group. True neutrality would mean respecting all beliefs equally. That means protecting Muslim women just as much as anyone else. Right now, France is failing to do that.

Are the Bans Really Helping Women?

People who agree with the bans say they are trying to protect women from being forced to wear the hijab. They think that stopping people from wearing religious clothes helps women's rights. But this idea leaves out what Muslim women themselves have to say. Many Muslim women choose to wear the hijab because they want to. It can be a part of their religion, their strength, or who they are. Forcing them to take it off does not give them freedom. It takes away their right to make their own choice.

Su’ad Abdul Khabeer is a scholar who studies Muslim identity. She explains that when governments or media talk about saving Muslim women, they often do it without asking those women what they want. Instead of listening to Muslim voices, they speak over them. If France truly cared about women’s rights, it would focus on giving women choices. It would create space for women to speak about their own experiences. Banning the hijab is not empowerment. It is just another kind of control.

The Real-Life Impact

These policies affect everyday people. Muslim girls have been sent home from school because of their clothing. Some women have lost jobs or been kicked off sports teams. Others have been harassed or attacked in public. In 2019, a report from the CCIE (Le Collectif Contre l’Islamophobie en Europe, or the Collective against Islamophobia in Europe) said that seventy percent of Islamophobic attacks in France were against women, many of whom were wearing the hijab at the time. 

The bans also lead to more hate. When the government passes laws like this, it sends a message to the public. It says that discrimination is allowed. It makes it easier for others to act in hateful ways. For many Muslim girls, growing up in France means constantly having to explain or defend their identity. It creates a sense of stress, fear, and a feeling of estrangement.

Why This Fight Matters

 These laws may seem like a local issue. But they are part of a bigger story. They reflect growing Islamophobia and shrinking space for religious freedom. If we accept these bans, we are saying it is okay to silence people based on how they look or what they believe. Muslim women deserve the right to choose. They should be able to dress how they want, go to school, play sports, and work like everyone else. They should not have to hide their faith to be accepted. Fighting for these rights is not just a Muslim issue. It is a human rights issue. Everyone who believes in justice should care.

The views, thoughts and opinions expressed in this blog are the author’s only and do not reflect an official position of the University of Minnesota, the Human Rights Program, or the College of Liberal Arts. As an institution of higher education that values and promotes free speech, civil discourse, and human rights we welcome a variety of perspectives and opinions from our student contributors that are consistent with these values.