From Wikigender.org
Freedom of dress describes the freedom to wear the clothes of one's choice, i.e. without outside pressure, prohibition or legal sanctions. In many countries, this freedom is highly restricted, especially for women (e.g. obligation to wear a veil or headscarf). Although sometimes enforced by formal (i.e. legal) mechanisms, freedom of dress is generally limited due to informal institutions such as social norms, traditions or religious practices.
Law and custom by country regarding the veil
| Country
| Law and custom
|
| Afghanistan
| Under the Taliban, the burqa was obligatory. Under the current government, it is technically optional but in southern Afghanistan it is de facto obligatory.
|
| France
| The secular laws of France prohibit the wearing of religious symbols of any nature in schools and certain public buildings. This is taken to include the wearing of the veil, the hijab or the Sikh turban.
|
| India
| There are no laws enforcing ħijāb in India as it is a constitutionally secular, Hindu-majority country, but in some conservative, Muslim-majority areas, there is some social pressure to cover. Many Indian Muslim women wear the burqa, although many others wear the dupatta or chunari.
|
| Indonesia
| Headcovering is not obligatory under the law but some women choose to wear a headscarf referred to as a djilbab. In some states headcovering is mandatory under Islamic law.
|
| Iran
| The current Iranian government requires women to wear loose-fitting coats or cloaks in public such as the chador]], as well as a head scarf that covers the hair.
|
| Malaysia
| The headscarf is known as a tudung. Muslim women may freely choose whether or not to wear the headscarf, except for religious rites and ceremonies when the tudung must be worn.
|
| Morocco
| The headscarf is not forbidden by law, but not encouraged by governmental institutions and generally frowned upon by urban middle and higher classes. It is becoming gradually more frequent in the north, but as it is not traditional, to wear one is considered rather a religious or political decision. In 2005, a schoolbook for basic religious education was heavily criticized for picturing female children with headscarfs.
|
| Pakistan
| While Pakistan has no laws enforcing ħijāb, there are many parts of the country where there is strong social pressure for women to observe ħijāb, or purdah, which is a cultural practice observed even by some Hindus. Many Pakistani women who observe purdah wear a garment called the pak-chadar, a headscarf with attached veil. However, there are also many Pakistani women who simply wear a dupatta or chunari to cover their heads. These are long scarves, often made of a light material, that match the woman's garments.
|
| Saudi Arabia
| The Saudi Arabian version of modest dress is composed of an abaya or loose robe, ħijāb or headcovering and niqāb or face veil. The Saudi niqāb usually leaves a long open slot for the eyes; the slot is held together by a string or narrow strip of cloth. Abaya and ħijāb are required for all women and vigilantly enforced; the niqāb is required for Saudi women but optional for other women.
|
| Tunisia
| Tunisian authorities say they are encouraging women, instead, to "wear modest dress in line with Tunisian traditions" i.e. no headscarf.
|
| Turkey
| In Turkey wearing religious symbols, including headscarfs for women, was prohibited in public schools and state buildings. In February 2008 the parliament voted overwhelmingly in favor of a constitutional amendment that would end a ban on Islamic headscarves at universities.
|
References
- E.D. Lowe and K.A. Anspach (1973), Toward a definition of Freedom in Dress, Family and Consumer Sciences Research Journal, Vol. 1, No. 4, 246-250 (1973), DOI: 10.1177/1077727X7300100402, [1]
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