| `We hope you will join Pro-Hijab to help defend women's rights' Abeer Pharaon |
In recent months, we have witnessed a concerning phenomenon in countries such as France and Germany, where the authorities have commenced restricting women's autonomy through banning Muslim women's Hijab. This is in blatant contravention of the European Convention on Human Rights.
The Muslim Women's Society (MWS) and the Muslim Association of Britain (MAB) are launching the 'Assembly for the Protection of Hijab' otherwise known as Pro-Hijab in order to address this serious issue and to use all peaceful and legal means to protect the right of any woman to wear Hijab. Contrary to popular opinion, the majority of women freely chose to wear the Hijab as an expression of their obedience to God - not due to coercion by family or male relatives.
This Hijab campaign has the support of numerous national and international organisations including Liberty for Human Rights, the National Assembly Against Racism (NAAR), The Federation of Islamic Organisations in Europe (FIOE), Islamic Forum of Europe (IFE), Islamic Society of Britain (ISB), Association of Muslim Lawyers (AML), Federation of Student Islamic Societies in the UK (FOSIS), Muslim Lawyers (ML), EMEL Magazine and Islamonline.net to name a few, as well as a number of officials including Fiona McTaggart MP, Ken Livingston Mayor of London, George Galloway MP, Caroline Lucas MEP and other prominent community figures both in Europe and around the Globe.
The inaugural event of this assembly will be a conference entitled: 'Hijab: A Woman's right to choose' to be held on 12th July 2004 and hosted by the Mayor of London Ken Livingston and the Greater London Authority at City Hall, London. The Conference will be officially opened by the Mayor of London and the guest of honour is the jurist Sheikh Yusuf Qaradawi, Head of the European Council for Fatwa and Research. Dr Tariq Ramadan and Sarah Joseph will also address the audience regarding the significance and status of the Hijab in Islam and the European Muslim identity.
Representatives from France will explain the impact of the ban on young Muslim girls. Other specialists and representatives from the Commission of the Bishop's Conference, Liberty for Human Rights, the Centre for European Policy Research, Caroline Lucas MEP, British Sikh Federation and others have also been invited to speak.
Fiona McTaggart and other representatives of the British Government have
been invited to summarise the British Government's view of the Hijab ban.
The issues to be discussed include human rights perspectives, a Muslim woman¹s account of the Hijab, legal perspectives, maintaining good community relations, plan of action and future campaign strategies.
We hope you will join Pro-Hijab to help defend women's rights, there is no cost for joining the campaign, however, donations are very much appreciated and welcomed.
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