Wearing a burqa is banned in the Netherlands. That is a controversial decision. The government and the people cite many reasons for whether or not to ban the burqa in the streets: norms and morals, threats from diversity (differences), a lack of integration and adaptation to Dutch customs, and religious freedom. However, not every burqa is worn out of necessity, but also out of the wearer’s own wishes. In February 2012, the cabinet agreed to the ban on wearing a burqa in public. After France (April 2011) and Belgium (July 2011), the Netherlands is the third country to impose the ban. To be precise, it has been decided that burqas and other face-covering clothing will be banned. In addition, police officers and judges are not allowed to wear headscarves. However, the general ban was not continued and, after a few years, a ban was again approved in May 2015.
Table of contents:
- Update May 2015: Cabinet decision: Partial ban on burqa and niqab
- Update May 2012: Bill will not be pursued by the Rutte II cabinet
- What is face covering clothing?
- What are not burqas?
- What does the Koran say about the burqa?
- Mandatory to wear a burqa?
- What does the Netherlands think of the burqa ban?
- Conclusion
Update May 2015: Cabinet decision: Partial ban on burqa and niqab
The cabinet has agreed to a ban on burqas, niqabs, balaclavas and full-face helmets in education, public transport, hospitals and government buildings. It is not yet known when the new ban on facial coverings will actually come into effect.
Update May 2012: Bill will not be pursued by the Rutte II cabinet
In May 2012, the current state of affairs is that the now outgoing cabinet is pushing through the bill. The plans are still there to make the ‘burqa ban’, to be precise the ban on face-covering clothing, permanent. However, the Rutte II cabinet then decides not to continue with this general ban and comes up with a weakened variant in the coalition agreement.
There are two reasons why this measure is being taken. Firstly, it is desirable that everyone in public is recognizable and can be identified. The increasing terrorism in the world is an important factor in this. In addition, there is discussion about combating oppression of Muslim women who cover their faces.
It is very easy to shout ‘everyone from the Netherlands who looks medieval’. In order to form your own opinion , it is wise to know what you are talking about. That is why we first list the facts. Then the various opinions that have recently appeared on the internet are discussed.
What is face covering clothing?
A face covering is anything that covers most of your face. The government believes this includes: full-face helmets and balaclavas. A headscarf is not included, because it covers your hair, but not (most of) your face. A headscarf is therefore still permitted for anyone who is not currently practicing as a police officer or judge.
What is a burqa A burqa is a garment that covers the entire body, including the eyes. The robe is wide, so that the curves of the body are not visible. The eyes are covered with a kind of mesh, so that the wearer can see herself, but the environment around her eyes cannot or hardly see. The burqa is therefore the most covering and concealing form of clothing.
What are not burqas?
- Nikab : in terms of facial covering, it is most similar to the burqa, the face is completely covered, only the gauze over the eyes is missing and therefore the eyes are visible. The niqab will therefore also be prohibited, given its face-covering effect. The niqab is only a veil, and therefore not a garment that extends to the feet.
- Chador : the robe resembles a burqa, the head is covered, but the face is not. So not prohibited.
- Headscarf : covers only the head, not the face. So not prohibited.
What does the Koran say about the burqa?
Most Muslims agree that wearing a headscarf is necessary to be a good Muslim. It is a religious obligation. They point to texts from the Koran, the holy book of the Muslims, and other Islamic writings. However, the Koran does not literally state that a woman must wear a headscarf or burqa. There are, however, some general texts about women’s clothing: women must cover themselves outdoors. But it does not say exactly how much of the body and face should be covered. There is a lot of discussion about this within Islam. Some Muslims believe that the Koran texts show that a woman must cover everything, her face and eyes, her entire body and her hands. Others believe that she only needs to wear a headscarf. Still others believe that the headscarf is not necessary at all to be a good Muslim. In fact, the Koran provides a guideline and leaves the interpretation to the people.
Mandatory to wear a burqa?
Whether a Muslim woman is obliged to wear a burqa, or whether it is genuinely her own choice, is very different. In certain regions of Islamic countries, the burqa is such a custom that women do not consider being an exception and not wearing it. The pressure from society, the environment, and also from their spouses can be so great that they have no choice. But there may also be women who choose it themselves, for all kinds of reasons. The suspicion is that when we talk about choices, there are more women who choose to wear a headscarf or chador than women who wear a burqa of their own free will. During its reign in Afghanistan, the Taliban forced women to wear the burqa, which is why many Westerners see the burqa as a sign of oppression of women.
What does the Netherlands think of the burqa ban?
The most important opinions that have been heard popularly or on the Internet are described below. Please note: most are not established facts, but opinions that are open to discussion.
Our standards of good morals
Minister Donner has compared wearing a burqa to walking naked on the street. That goes against our standards of good morals, he says, and the same applies to wearing a burqa.
We feel threatened by diversity
Many Dutch people see ethnic and cultural diversity as a threat. Most people over 40 are traditionally not used to many immigrants. After all: in the childhood years of around the 1970s, the first immigrants slowly arrived in the Netherlands. Before that time, there were only a very limited number of immigrants in the Netherlands.
Integration required
Immigrants are responsible for their own integration, and this also includes adapting to the customs in the Netherlands. However, you can also say that you are hospitable to your ‘guests’. To what extent we see an immigrant as a ‘guest’ and allow them to maintain their own customs is the question, and a huge point of discussion. We could also say that a guest is temporary, but someone who settles permanently in our country is not a guest but a fellow citizen. And that we can ask them to adapt to certain aspects that are important for Dutch standards.
Religious freedom for all
Our constitution provides for the right to freedom of religion. Then everyone can do what he/she wants in that regard, right? Yet that is not the essence of this constitution. The constitution is described as follows:
- ,Everyone has the right to freely manifest his religion or belief, individually or in community with others, subject to each person’s responsibility under the law.
- With regard to this right, the law may lay down rules outside buildings and enclosed places to protect health, in the interest of traffic and to combat or prevent disorder.,
You can argue that wearing a burqa in the context of your religion is permitted on the basis of this law. But if there is a law that states that you must be recognizable on the street, then that is your responsibility. Then it overrules the law on freedom of religion in this matter, and you can say that it does not apply to wearing a burqa, which makes you unrecognizable.
How many burqas are we actually talking about?
An interesting opinion is: is it worth all the fuss, how many burqas do we see on the street every day? Headscarves, Turkish robes too, but burqas are much less common. On the other hand, if we consider wearing face-covering clothing that makes you unrecognizable a potential problem, it may still be wise to impose a ban and thus eliminate a risk.
The oppression of women
No, we won’t prevent that. Not with this ban. After all: it’s about wearing it in public. A woman who is forced to wear the burqa, and is no longer allowed to do so on the street, will no longer go on the street (alone).
Consequences of the ban: even less social contact?
What would be the side effects of the ban? The suspicion is that social contact with women wearing burqas will be limited to a minimum after this, because either they themselves will not feel safe on the street, or because their husbands will no longer allow this. It would be a shame if that were to happen.
Conclusion
There are many aspects to the ‘burqa’ ban. Even if you say that you have to imagine that you are going to live in an Islamic country and wonder whether you can walk around there in your miniskirt. Because then you may wonder whether we in our Western country want to act that way. For now, the ban has come into effect in our country. However, the police have already indicated that they will be very reluctant to implement the ban. The consequences on the street will also hardly be noticeable, because we don’t often see burqas. All in all, it is a subject that has caused a stir among the Dutch people.