On Monday, United Nations human rights experts criticized France’s decisions to prohibit women and girls wearing the hijab from participating in sports competitions, labelling these actions as “discriminatory” and calling for their reversal.
France has applied its stringent secularism policies to forbid athletes from displaying religious symbols, including the hijab, at the Paris 2024 Olympics.
France’s football and basketball federations have also decided to bar players wearing headscarves from both professional and amateur competitions.
In a statement, the experts described these decisions as “disproportionate and discriminatory,” violating the rights of French athletes to freely express their identity and beliefs both privately and publicly and to engage in cultural life. Eight independent UN experts endorsed the statement.
These experts, including the UN special rapporteurs on cultural rights, minority issues, freedom of religion and belief, and members of the UN working group on discrimination against women and girls, are appointed by the UN Human Rights Council. They operate independently and do not represent the United Nations.
They emphasized that “Muslim women and girls wearing the hijab should have equal rights to participate in cultural and sports activities and to engage fully in French society.”
France’s secularism laws aim to maintain state neutrality in religious matters while ensuring citizens’ freedom to practice their religion.
In light of the intense stigma and intolerance faced by women and girls who choose to wear the hijab, the experts urged France to protect these individuals, safeguard their rights, and foster equality and respect for cultural diversity.
