Dutch politicians on Wednesday debated a limited ban on face-covering headwear worn by some Muslim women that would outlaw veils in places such as schools, hospitals and on public transportation.
The move would outlaw veils in places such as schools, hospitals, and on public transportation. Although only a small number of Muslim women wear the concealing full-face coverings, successive governments have sought to ban the niqab.
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Plasterk said in a free country such as the Netherlands people should be allowed to appear in public with their faces covered, if they want to, however in government buildings and in health and education settings – such as hospitals and schools – people need to be able to look each other in the face.
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It is not yet clear when the lawmakers would vote on the issue. If the legislation passes the Parliament’s lower house as expected, it will need to be approved by the Senate before becoming law.
An opponent of the legislation, Fatma Koser Kaya of the centrist D66 party, said the law was pointless because many institutions in the Netherlands already had the power to prevent women from wearing veils and headscarves in certain situations.
“What are we banning today?” she asked. “This is symbolic lawmaking … because in practice it already happens.”
Courtesy: Al Jazeera