The Egyptian government has announced a ban on the wearing of the face-covering niqab in schools from the beginning of the next term on 30 September.
Education Minister Reda Hegazy made the announcement on Monday, adding that students would still have the right to choose whether to wear a headscarf, but insisted it must not cover their faces.
He also said that the child’s guardian should be aware of their choice, and that it must have been made without any outside pressure.
Yes, but would it have helped to ban skirts?
I think there are a handful of solutions, none of them include a ban. Give women more autonomy over their lives, spread awareness, give help to those stuck in a shitty household forced to wear a niqab or hijab, get schools to actively discuss this choice of garment with parents and the child of it is problematic, allow girls to speak up without fear in schools, etc.
Stuff like this will cause gradual change (that is already happening). It may not be a big flashy bang like the news of a ban, but it’s actual gradual change.
Oh I absolutely agree. I have no idea how to give women more autonomy when they are stuck in these repressive households.
What you’re speaking of is how it should be, how to get there is not easy.