The Right to Cover

The Right to Cover.

Many countries around the world either have already passed or are in the process of passing a ban against women's head cover in public schools and government institutions. The rationale is to unify the appearance of the citizens/students to avoid division and bring harmony amongst them. The harmony comes from within; taking away individuality will create division in societies.

It is difficult for some groups of special interest around the world to accept that veiled women are victims of incomprehension due to colonization, secularism, and orientalism, and the negative interpretation of cultural and individual difference. Veiled women are constantly portrayed as subordinate figures with passive attitudes and no professional affiliations, who are marginalized and subjugated by religious obligation and oppression.

Associating veiled women with submission and the unveiled with liberation is a pure social injustice. Wearing a veil is a choice and a personal mark of distinction not a symbol of inequality of sexes and the confinement of women. Let us not forget that in the Sikh culture, the man covers his head as well. The veil, to millions of women, is a gesture of identity and intellectual self-affirmation. It is a liberation of societies' compulsion and male pressures of how women should look or dress. For the veiled women, professing their cultural individuality does not contradict the adherence to the uniform codes in public schools or government offices. Women should be respected for their minds, hearts, and souls not their appearances. No one has the right to stigmatize, demonize, or ridicule any head covering for Nuns, Sikh, Muslim, Orthodox Jews or Amish.

The right to veil is protected by many spiritual doctrines:

" It is not like the daughters of Israel to walk out with heads uncovered" and ".. a woman who exposes her hair for self-adornment brings poverty." Menachem M. Brayer, The Jewish Woman in Rabbinic Literature

"... So she took her veil and covered herself" Genesis 24:65

"She maketh herself coverings" proverbs 31:22

"And every woman who prays or prophesies with her head uncovered dishonours her head - it is just as though her head were shaved. If a woman does not cover her head, she should have her hair cut off; and if it is a disgrace for a woman to have her hair cut off or shaved off, she should cover her head. " (I Corinthians 11:6).

"O Prophet, tell your wives and daughters and the believing women that they should cast their outer garments over their bodies (when abroad) " (Quran 33:59

Examples of some of the countries, which have passed a ban/law against Hijab (head cover), in one sort or another: Turkey, France, Tunisia, Singapore, Algeria, Russia

Examples of some of the countries, which have been contemplating the same action: Germany, Belgium, Denmark, Australia.

Examples of some of the countries, which have been harassing or depriving head-covered women from career advancements: United States, England, and many others

Veiled women (and head covered people) of the world, consider these bans to be a clear violation of their human rights. Everyone has the right to equal public education and employment regardless of the choice to cover. It is essential that human rights be protected under the law. These bans are unjust and they negatively affect the social, spiritual, educational, and economical growth of millions of women around the world who chose to be veiled.
Moreover, these bans clearly breach and violate articles { 7, 18, 20, 21, 22, 26, 30 } of The United Nations Human Rights Declaration

We are calling on all people of conscience, freedom of choice supporters, civil liberties and human rights groups around the world to support the women's right to veil.

We urge the United Nation to step in and take an action against any government that passes a ban against veiled women.

Here are the human rights that have been violated:

Universal Declaration Of Human Rights Adopted by UN General Assembly Resolution 217A (III) of 10 December 1948
THIS UNIVERSAL DECLARATION OF HUMAN RIGHTS as a common standard of achievement for all peoples and all nations, to the end that every individual and every organ of society, keeping this Declaration constantly in mind, shall strive by teaching and education to promote respect for these rights and freedoms and by progressive measures, national and international, to secure their universal and effective recognition and observance, both among the peoples of Member States themselves and among the peoples of territories under their jurisdiction.

7- All are equal before the law and are entitled without any discrimination to equal protection of the law. All are entitled to equal protection against any discrimination in violation of the Declaration and against any incitement to such discrimination.

18- Everyone has the right to freedom of thought, conscience and religion; this right includes freedom to change his religion or belief, and freedom, either alone or in community with others and in public or private, to manifest his religion or belief in teaching, practice, worship and observance.

20- (1) Everyone has the right to freedom of peaceful assembly and association.
(2) No one may be compelled to belong to an association

21- (2) Everyone has the right of equal access to public service in his country.22- Everyone, as a member of society, has the right to social security and is entitled to realization, through national effort and international co- operation and in accordance with the organization and resources of each State, of the economic, social and cultural rights indispensable for his dignity and the free development of his personality.

26- (1) Everyone has the right to education. Education shall be free, at least in the elementary and fundamental stages. Elementary education shall be compulsory. Technical and professional education shall be made generally available and higher education shall be equally accessible to all on the basis of merit.

30- Nothing in this Declaration may be interpreted as implying for any State, group or person any right to engage in any activity or to perform any act aimed at the destruction of any of the rights and freedoms set forth herein.