Austria has passed a law banning headscarves in schools for girls under the age of 14. The measure will apply to girls in both public and private schools.
The terms of the new law mean girls under 14 will be forbidden from wearing traditional Muslim head coverings such as hijabs or burkas. Parents would face fines ranging from 150 to 800 euros for repeated non-compliance. Members of the government say this is about empowering young girls, arguing it is to protect them from oppression.
In 2020, a similar headscarf ban for girls under 10 was struck down by the Constitutional Court.
