Austria’s ban on headscarves for girls under 14 has sparked protests across the country, with dozens of schoolgirls refusing to comply with the new law.
The ban, introduced on September 1 by the conservative-led government, aims to promote gender equality and protect Muslim girls from what authorities describe as segregation and oppression.
However, critics say it unfairly targets Muslims, violates religious freedom, and forces girls to remove headscarves against their wishes.
According to the Education Ministry, authorities have held 127 meetings with parents and filed 52 reports over alleged violations since the ban took effect. Protests have also been held across the country, attracting several hundred participants at each gathering.
At a demonstration in Vienna, 37-year-old Zehra said her daughters, aged nine and 13, were upset by the restrictions. She criticized the law for denying children the freedom to make their own choices.
Another student, 12-year-old Seham, said she was afraid to remove her headscarf after wearing it for two years, as it had become part of her identity. Following discussions with school officials, she was allowed to wear an alternative head covering but said she would still prefer her full headscarf.
The Islamic Religious Community in Austria, which is supporting legal action against the ban, said it had received around 70 reports from families facing difficulties with the restrictions. The organization argued that the law was putting pressure on the very children it was intended to protect.
Austria’s Constitutional Court has received a legal complaint against the ban, with a decision expected in the first half of 2027.
Under the law, schools must first hold discussions with students and parents over violations before referring cases to education authorities. Parents who continue to ignore the restrictions can eventually face fines.
Education Minister Christoph Wiederkehr defended the policy, saying the low number of meetings showed that most students and parents were cooperating. He added that discussions with families had resolved most violations.
However, education authorities in Vienna said their discussions suggested that many affected girls wanted to wear headscarves voluntarily.
Austria previously introduced a similar ban for primary school students in 2019, but the Constitutional Court overturned it, ruling that restrictions specifically targeting Muslims violated religious neutrality.
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