Austria Set To Ban Islamic Headscarves For Girls Under 14 — Rights Groups Warn Of Discrimination

Austrian lawmakers are poised to approve a law that would prohibit girls under the age of 14 from wearing Islamic head coverings in all schools, a move the government frames as protecting children but which rights groups and experts warn is discriminatory and risks deepening social divisions.

The conservative-led government introduced the measure amid heightened anti-immigration sentiment. Officials say the ban is intended to protect girls 'from oppression' and present it as a child-rights measure. Integration Minister Claudia Plakolm argued the law targets practices that compel girls to 'hide their body... to protect themselves from the gaze of men,' describing that dynamic as oppression rather than religion.

Scope and Timeline

The draft law would bar head coverings 'in accordance with Islamic traditions' — explicitly including hijabs and burqas — for girls younger than 14 in all schools. Authorities plan an initial explanatory phase starting in February, during which educators, parents and pupils will be informed about the new rules and no penalties will be applied. The ban is intended to take full effect at the start of the new school year in September.

After the introductory period, repeated non-compliance by families could lead to fines ranging from €150 to €800 (about $175–$930).

The government says roughly 12,000 girls could be affected by the measure, citing a 2019 study that recorded about 3,000 headscarf-wearing girls under 14 at the time; the figures suggest differing methods of estimation and have been the subject of public debate.

Criticism and Legal Questions

Human rights organisations and Muslim community representatives have sharply criticised the proposal. Amnesty International Austria called the measure 'blatant discrimination against Muslim girls' and characterised it as 'an expression of anti-Muslim racism,' warning it may reinforce prejudice and stereotypes.

The IGGÖ, the officially recognised body representing Austria's Muslim communities, said the ban 'jeopardises social cohesion' and risks stigmatising and marginalising children rather than empowering them. The women's rights group Amazone and anti-racism organisation SOS Mitmensch argued the law sends the message that decisions about girls' bodies are being taken without their consent.

Austria's anti-immigration Freedom Party (FPÖ) said the proposal does not go far enough and called for the ban to extend to students of all ages as well as teachers and school staff.

Legal experts are divided. The governing coalition expressed confidence the revised law will withstand judicial review, arguing it can be justified where it protects children's constitutionally enshrined rights. Constitutional law specialist Heinz Mayer, however, has questioned that claim, recalling a top court ruling that found discrimination against a single religion and noting the court's observation that a ban can place children in an 'uncomfortable situation' rather than addressing those who impose restrictions on them.

Broader Context

The debate in Austria echoes controversies elsewhere in Europe. In 2004 France banned pupils from wearing 'signs or outfits by which students ostensibly show a religious affiliation' — including headscarves, turbans and Jewish skullcaps — under its strict secularism laws designed to ensure neutrality in state institutions.

What To Watch: Whether Austria's parliament approves the bill, how courts interpret its constitutionality if challenged, and the social impact of enforcement on affected families and communities.