Fresh row over university headscarf ban proposal

Guardian 13 March 2015

France is embroiled in a fresh row over the state’s attitude to the Muslim headscarf after the Socialist minister for women’s rights expressed support for banning students from wearing veils at French universities, writes Angelique Chrisafis for the Guardian.

In a video for Le Figaro, Pascale Boistard was asked if she was against the wearing of headscarves at university, and she said that she was. Asked if the government should take formal measures, she said it was up to university presidents to talk to students about the issue, but added: “I’m not sure the headscarf is part of higher education.”

Her comments come as Nicolas Sarkozy, the right-wing former president seeking to run again in 2017, proposed a headscarf ban in universities despite opposition from certain figures within his UMP party. Earlier this month Eric Ciotti, a UMP MP, proposed a law to ban the headscarf from higher education, while opponents accused mainstream conservatives of trying to chase after voters from the far right.
Full report on the Guardian site

Receive email updates from UWN

Global newsletters    Africa newsletters    Other
    (other includes related events and webinars)

Data will be processed according to our standard terms & conditions.

Sponsored Article

Apply for Wege Prize – Change the world and earn cash rewards

Ferris State University staff

Around the globe, university students with big ideas for making their communities and the world better and helping solve some of today’s biggest problems – pollution, hunger, waste, and more – are applying for Wege Prize, an international design competition with a prize pool of US$65,000.

Promoted by Ferris State University.

Sponsored Article

Sustainability-centred Impact Hub at Stellenbosch University

Stellenbosch University staff

Stellenbosch University’s vision to be a systemically sustainable institution addressing continental and global sustainable development challenges is beginning to bear fruit. Not only is it educating future leaders, policy-makers and professionals in this space, but it is also finding solutions through research, training and development.

Promoted by Stellenbosch University.

Sponsored Article

Supporting Pride is about commitment to campus diversity

University of Victoria staff

ABET, the global accreditor of science, computing, engineering and technology programmes, is supporting Pride Month and prioritising equality, diversity and inclusion. It believes collaboration between a diverse pool of talent is a vital contributor to finding the best solutions to the world’s problems.

Promoted by ABET.

Sponsored Article

Ground-breaking research on seawater biodesalination

UAE University staff

As water scarcity reaches critical levels globally, a research team at the United Arab Emirates University seeks to revolutionise seawater desalination practices, offering a path to mitigate water scarcity while championing environmental preservation.

Promoted by United Arab Emirates University.