Austria bans hijab for girls under 14 starting in 2026!
Austria will ban the hijab for girls under 14 in schools starting from the 2026/2027 school year. Integration Minister Claudia Plakolm (ÖVP) described the hijab as a symbol of oppression that affects the freedom and self-esteem of young girls.
Currently, about 12,000 young girls wear the hijab in Austria. The government sees this not as a religious rite, but as a constraint that causes feelings of shame, body image distortion, and instability in self-esteem, according to Minister Blackolm.
The amended bill will soon be discussed in parliament. The authorities plan to implement the law first through discussions with parents, and if necessary, impose fines ranging from 150 to 800 euros.
The Islamic religious community in Austria criticized this step, considering that the motives are political rather than the welfare of children behind the legislation, and that the government is exploiting anti-Islamic sentiments to achieve political gains.
A similar legislation by the ÖVP-FPÖ government was struck down by the Constitutional Court in 2019. However, officials are confident that the new law will withstand legal challenges, noting that the number of affected Muslim girls has risen from 3,000 to 12,000.