Eight United Nations right experts, on Monday, criticised the decision in France which bars women and girls from participating in sports competitions while wearing the Muslim headscarf as “discriminatory”, demanding they be reversed.
France had invoked strict rules on secularism, banning athletes from wearing religious symbols including the hijab during the Paris 2024 Olympics. France Football and Basketball Federations have also excluded players wearing the headscarf from competitions including at the amateur level.
The statement which was signed by Eight Independent experts appointed by the UN Human Rights Council including the UN special rapporteurs on cultural rights, on minority issues, and on freedom of religion and belief, and members of the UN working group on discrimination against women and girls; but they do not speak on behalf of the United Nations.
These decisions “are disproportionate and discriminatory and infringe on their rights (of French athletes) to freely manifest their identity, their religion or belief in private and in public, and to take part in cultural life,” the statement signed by the eight independent experts said in part.
“Muslim women and girls who wear the hijab must have equal rights to participate in cultural and sporting life, and to take part in all aspects of French society of which they are a part.”
But the experts insisted that “the neutrality and secular nature of the state are not legitimate grounds for imposing restrictions on the rights to freedom of expression and freedom of religion or belief”.
“Any limitations of these freedoms must be proportionate, necessary to reach one of the objectives stated in international law (safety, health and public order, the rights and freedoms of others), and justified by facts… and not by presumptions, assumptions or prejudices,” they said.
“In a context of intolerance and strong stigmatisation of women and girls who choose to wear the hijab, France must take all measures at its disposal to protect them, to safeguard their rights, and to promote equality and mutual respect for cultural diversity.”
France enacted laws on secularism allegedly intended to keep the state neutral in religious matters, while guaranteeing citizens the right to freely practice their religion. Among other things, they prohibit pupils and teachers in schools as well as civil servants from wearing “ostentatious” religious symbols.
