BAKU, Azerbaijan, October 18. Azerbaijan has introduced new rules governing clothing in public schools, reinforcing the secular character of state education under amendments to the Law on General Education signed by President Ilham Aliyev in July 2026.
The measures, implemented through government regulations adopted in September and October, have brought renewed attention to a fundamental question about Azerbaijan's political and social model: how does a country with predominantly Muslim population balance religious freedom with the secular principles governing its public institutions?
The answer lies in Azerbaijan's constitutional framework, which separates religion from the state while guaranteeing freedom of conscience.
What do the new rules say?
On September 21, the Cabinet of Ministers adopted Resolution No. 309, updating the rules governing school uniforms. The regulations prohibit clothing elements that violate the uniform requirements or are inconsistent with the secular character of general education.
On October 6, similar requirements concerning professional attire and the secular nature of education were extended to teachers in public schools.
Neither the amendments nor the regulations explicitly mention the hijab. However, religious head coverings are not included in the approved school uniform, and the new requirements have been applied in practice to prevent girls and teachers wearing hijabs from attending classes in public schools.
The distinction is important: the measures concern dress codes in state-run educational institutions, rather than establishing a nationwide ban on wearing the hijab. No equivalent restriction has been introduced for everyday life outside public schools, and religious educational institutions remain outside the scope of these particular school-uniform rules.
Why is secularism central to the debate?
Secularism is not simply a policy preference in Azerbaijan; it is explicitly enshrined in the country's Constitution.
Article 7 defines Azerbaijan as a democratic, law-governed, secular and unitary republic. Article 18 establishes the separation of religion from the state, guarantees that all religions are equal before the law and stipulates that the state education system must be secular.
These provisions establish the constitutional basis for the government's position that public education should operate according to common rules rather than religious requirements.
Under this approach, secularism does not necessarily mean the exclusion of religion from society. Instead, it means that religious institutions and beliefs do not determine the operating principles of the state, while citizens retain their right to freedom of conscience.
The government and the ruling party have presented uniform requirements as a way to maintain a common educational environment and prevent religious, ethnic and socioeconomic distinctions from becoming sources of division among students.
In this context, school uniforms serve a purpose beyond appearance: they are intended to reinforce the principle that public education is a shared civic institution in which students are subject to the same standards.
Does the policy amount to a general ban on the hijab?
No. The distinction between restrictions in public schools and a general prohibition is central to understanding the measures.
Chairman of the Caucasus Muslims Board Allahshukur Pashazadeh has publicly stated that there is no nationwide ban on the hijab in Azerbaijan. The issue, he said, concerns school uniforms in state educational institutions.
The Ministry of Health has also rejected claims that similar restrictions were being introduced in hospitals, describing a purported order to that effect as fake.
The government's position is that the school rules derive from legislation and the constitutional principle of secular education, rather than from an attempt to prohibit religious practice throughout the country.
How does this fit Azerbaijan's broader identity?
Azerbaijan is a country, with Muslims accounting for approximately 96% of its population, according to available estimates. Yet its state institutions operate within a secular constitutional framework shaped by the country's history and reaffirmed after independence.
This combination distinguishes Azerbaijan's model: religious traditions remain an important part of social and cultural life, while the state maintains a formal separation between religious authority and public administration.
The new school rules reflect the government's effort to preserve that distinction in one of the most sensitive areas of public life: education.
At the same time, the policy raises broader questions about how secular principles should be applied alongside individual rights, including freedom of religion and conscience. The constitutional framework establishes both commitments, making their practical implementation an important test of how the state balances them.
Ultimately, Azerbaijan's approach rests on the principle that a Muslim-majority society does not require religious rules to govern its public institutions. By reaffirming the secular character of state education, the government is seeking to preserve a model in which religious belief remains a matter of personal freedom, while public schools operate under common, legally established standards.