Children & Teens

Twitter allowed a ‘pro-FGM’ account to sponsor a tweet Activists said the tweet, posted by a group called Dawoodi Bohra Women for Religious Freedom, promoted female genital mutilation.

(BuzzFeed) Twitter has come under fire for allowing a tweet that activists have said is pro–female genital mutilation to be promoted on its site, meaning that it showed up on the timelines of users who didn’t follow the poster’s account. The tweet, […]

Citizenship

Bernardi renews his push for burqa ban Australian Conservatives senator Cory Bernardi has introduced draft laws to parliament banning facial coverings at commonwealth sites.

(AAP) Burqas could be banned at major airports and citizenship ceremonies under legislation introduced to parliament by right-wing senator Cory Bernardi. The Australian Conservatives’ leader on Tuesday introduced a bill banning facial coverings at commonwealth sites, including all public places in the […]

Academics & Education

Austria mulls to expand headscarf ban in schools People on public duty should not use religious, ideological symbols on duty, says Austria's education minister

(Anadolu) Expanding the range of headscarf bans for students and teachers in secondary school should be discussed throughout the country, especially in parliament, Austria’s education minister said on Monday. Speaking at Austrian state television ORF on a draft law to ban Muslim […]

Children & Teens

Female genital mutilation: Number of affected women rising in Germany Women's rights organization Terre des Femmes estimates that 65,000 women affected by female genital mutilation (FGM) are living in Germany. DW's Kate Brady met one Somali woman who is calling for an end to the practice.

(Deutsche Welle) “I was about 11 or 12 years old. Several people held me down. Then they cut me. They laid me on the table. I can still see the image. I had such horrific pain. Then they sewed me together. They […]

Academics & Education

‘Terre des Femmes’ pushes headscarf ban for girls The women's rights organization 'Terre des Femmes' has launched a petition calling for a headscarf ban for minors in schools and daycare centers in Germany. But the initiative has courted controversy.

(Deutsche Welle) A girl below the age of 18 wearing a headscarf? The human rights organization “Terre des Femmes” believes it is morally wrong and is demanding that the German government ban headscarves for girls in schools and daycare centres. On Thursday, […]

Academics & Education

PQ in favour of accommodating Muslim students: Jean-François Lisée The Commission scolaire de Montréal wants to move a test so that its Muslim students won't have to take an exam during a high holiday.

(Montreal Gazette) Jean-François Lisée says he would be in favour of a plan to postpone a province-wide elementary school exam next year because it interferes with a Muslim holiday. The PQ leader weighed in Wednesday on a recent spat between a Montreal […]

Crime

Citizens’ initiative to ban FGM set for parliamentary consideration A citizens' initiative demanding a law to ban female genital mutilation in Finland has gained 50,000 signatures, meaning Parliament must now consider the motion.

(Yle) A citizens’ initiative demanding that lawmakers draw up a specific law to outlaw FGM in Finland has attracted over 50,000 signatures. This means it has met the threshold enacted in a 2012 Finnish law, and the Finnish Parliament must now put […]