It is not only veiled Muslim women, but masked protesters who are reportedly breaking the law. In fact, the words niqab and burqa do not appear anywhere in the text of the law. Legal experts say interest groups are raising a legal challenge that could make its way to court. In the course of the proceedings, the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms and the equivalent of Quebec may be invoked. In a referendum on 7 March 2021, the Swiss electorate adopted a national burqa ban, which is supported by more than 51% of voters. [34] In January 2022, some students in Karnataka applied for special rights to wear the burqa, even though educational institutions have a predetermined rule on wearing uniforms. [74] The case is being heard by the Supreme Court because the authorities insist on wearing uniforms but ask a group of Muslim students to allow them to wear the burqa. Muslim women will no longer be able to cover their faces if they become Canadian citizens after the country`s immigration minister announced a ban on wearing the niqab – the face veil – or burqa – body covering and face covering – while taking the oath of citizenship. The Sri Lankan government banned all types of clothing that cover the face, including the burqa and niqab, on April 29, 2019. [70] In 2016, the Bulgarian parliament adopted a ban on wearing clothing covering the face in public. [8] The Bulgarian parliament issued the ban for security reasons, but the ban spurred the conflict as 10% of the country`s population identifies as Muslim. Women who violate the burqa ban face fines of up to €770 (~€848) and their social security benefits will be suspended. [9] Canadians, especially Quebecers, have always looked to Europe.
It seems that Francophiles today are particularly oriented towards their ancestors. The province has banned the niqab, burqa and other face coverings in places where government services are provided. This means public transport, schools, hospitals and municipal buildings. Teachers, doctors, nurses and even daycare workers are also not allowed to wear anything that covers their faces. In January 2012, the States General of the Netherlands banned clothing covering the face, commonly known as the «burqa ban». [26] [27] The burqa ban came into effect on August 1, 2019 in schools, public transport, hospitals, and government buildings, but there are doubts about its application in practice. [28] The mayor of Amsterdam, Femke Halsema, has spoken out against the law. She explained that removing a burqa wearer from public transport in the capital would not suit today`s Dutch society. The president of the Dutch Transport Association, Pedro Peters, also commented on the ban. Peters said, «They won`t stop the bus for half an hour because someone is wearing a burqa» and is waiting for police to arrive; «We are also not allowed to refuse anyone because we have an obligation to carry.» [29] The law, officially known as the Partial Ban on Clothing Covering the Face Act, also states that those who refuse to reveal their face can pay a fine of at least €150 and be arrested. [29] Dutch police also stated that enforcement of the ban is not a priority and is unlikely to respond to a complaint within thirty minutes.
[30] In the Netherlands, face coverings are prohibited on public transport, but not in public, unless it compromises safety. Meanwhile, Belgium has a general ban similar to the France, as well as parts of Switzerland. Last January, Austria banned face coverings in courts and schools. In the United States, a bill was proposed in the Georgian legislature, but was withdrawn last year. He reportedly banned the burqa and niqab while driving or in the driver`s license photo. In April 2019, Sanjay Raut, a member of the Shiv Sena party, called for a ban on the burqa. [71] [72] In its recent decision, the Court stated that the government had gone too far in implementing the ban on wearing the face veil at naturalization oath ceremonies, and stated that the prohibition impeded the citizenship judge`s legal obligation to ensure that persons taking the oath of Canadian citizenship had the «greatest possible freedom.» By learning about some of the legal and other experiences and stories of women wearing the niqab, I hope we can learn more about women who wear the niqab and ourselves. Instead of being alarmed by differences or stubbornly sure that our views and practices are superior, we could cultivate social relationships and ask ourselves what we can learn from this unique historical moment – when face coverings became desirable – to change the direction of the future. Meaningful and peaceful interactions demand this from all of us. They argue that this disproportionately affects Muslim teachers who wear the hijab.
Several civil rights groups filed legal challenges after the adoption. The first ban on the face veil in Europe was introduced in April in France, where anyone wearing the niqab or burqa in public is liable to a fine or lessons in French citizenship. The term «lost Canadians» is used to refer to persons who believed they were Canadian citizens, but who lost or never acquired Canadian citizenship because of the legal obstacles set out in the 1947 Act.