Women

Citizenship

Man denied German citizenship for refusing to shake woman’s hand The man aced the German naturalization test, but refused to shake hands with the female official handing over his citizenship. Despite claims he will not shake hands with men either, his citizenship has been rejected.

October 17, 2020   

(Deutsche Welle) A German court ruled on Friday that a Muslim man who refused to shake the hand of a woman should not receive German citizenship. The 40-year-old Lebanese doctor, who came to Germany in 2002, said he refuses to shake women’s […]

Children & Teens

Iranian ambassador summoned for role in Sharia law divorce contracts Foreign minister Jeppe Kofod wants an explanation and calls Iranian interference in Danish law unacceptable

October 7, 2020   

(Copenhagen Post) Today, the government outlined plans to crack down hard on imams who propagate Sharia law divorce documents. Now, in a stunning turn of events, Iran’s ambassador to Denmark, Afsaneh Nadipour, has been summoned to the Danish Foreign Ministry to explain […]

Crime

Tariq Ramadan’s new CHIFA research center to explore ethics, feminism Some have critiqued Ramadan’s announcement of the center as an attempt at a comeback from his various sexual misconduct allegations.

August 28, 2020   

(Morocco World News) Tariq Ramadan on Tuesday announced his latest project — the creation of CHIFA, a research and training center for students around the world. Topics of study will include religion, spirituality, humanism, psychology, ecology, and teaching. CHIFA will also offer […]

Academics & Education

Berlin teacher headscarf ban is illegal, rules top court The ruling is the latest in a long-running legal battle brought by a Muslim woman who was banned from teaching in the city. Some lawmakers are now calling for Berlin's controversial neutrality act to be changed.

August 27, 2020   

(Deutsche Welle) Germany’s Federal Labor Court on Thursday ruled that a blanket ban on teachers wearing headscarves in schools in the capital city Berlin was unconstitutional. The court decision was the latest in a case brought by a Muslim woman who was unable to […]

Clothing

Burqa ban, face mask laws frustrate Dutch Muslims One year after the burqa ban in the Netherlands, Muslim women have reported increased discrimination and violence. Adding to the frustration, face masks against COVID-19 have become mandatory on Dutch public transport.

August 1, 2020 and   

(Deutsche Welle) Walking quickly across the Bos en Lommerplein, a square in the west of Amsterdam, Emarah* stands out. Raindrops run down her long black burqa, soaking the bottom of the black body-covering garment. It has been three years since she first […]

Crime

Germany: Freiburg gang rapists to spend years in prison Ten of 11 men accused in the gang rape of a woman in the southern city of Freiburg in 2018 have been sentenced to jail terms. The case was seized upon by anti-immigration populists, as most of the men are refugees.

July 23, 2020   

(Deutsche Welle) A German regional court on Thursday handed jail sentences of up to five and a half years to members of a group of men accused of jointly raping an 18-year-old woman in the southern city of Freiburg in October 2018. […]

Academics & Education

German state bans burqas, niqabs in schools Baden-Württemberg will now ban full-face coverings for all school children. State Premier Winfried Kretschmann said burqas and niqabs did not belong in a free society. A similar rule for teachers was already in place.

July 21, 2020   

(Deutsche Welle) The government of the western German state of Baden-Württemberg agreed on Tuesday to ban full-face coverings, often known as burqa or niqab, in schools. The new rule comes as the topic of Muslim face coverings has been hotly debated in […]

Children & Teens

Female genital mutilation: Report shows 68,000 victims in Germany A report estimates that the number of victims of female genital mutilation in Germany has increased by 44% since 2017, and nearly 15,000 girls may be at risk. The minister responsible linked the increase to migration.

June 25, 2020   

(Deutsche Welle) The amount of women and girls in Germany who have undergone female genital mutilation (FGM) has increased to 68,000, the families minister announced Thursday. The increase, up 44% from the last estimated total calculated in 2017, was attributed to greater […]

Clothing

Muslim woman arrested in Miami protest forced to remove hijab for booking photo A civil rights attorney called it a 'severe violation of religious freedoms,' but a police spokesman said the department was following protocol.

June 19, 2020   

(NBC) A Muslim woman arrested during a Black Lives Matter protest in Miami was forced to remove her hijab for a booking photo, which a Muslim civil rights advocate called a “severe violation of religious freedoms.” It also prompted supporters to start […]

Clothing

Protesters gather to oppose religious symbols ban, one year after Bill 21 became law Law bans wearing of religious symbols such as a hijab or kippah by public servants in positions of authority

June 14, 2020   

(CBC) Dozens of people gathered outside Quebec Premier François Legault’s Montreal office on Sunday to stage a sit-in, in opposition to the province’s ban on religious symbols that became law one year ago. The most controversial section of the law, known as […]

Gender Separation

Muslim women renew calls for more inclusive programs as mosques reopen As the coronavirus pandemic offers time to step back, Muslim Americans rethink how mosques can be more welcoming to women and adapt financially.

June 12, 2020   

(HuffPost) As the coronavirus outbreak spread, mosques, like many houses of worship, were required to close their doors even during the holy month of Ramadan in compliance with statewide shutdowns. American Muslims across the country were forced to celebrate at home. With […]