Activists in Iraq have launched a campaign demanding an end to a practice whereby some schools enforce the wearing of the Islamic hijab, a headscarf, on girls. Campaigners are working both online and offline to highlight the issue. The hashtag “#No_to_compulsory_hijab” has trended on Iraqi social media, while activists have designed forms for female students in schools across the country to document the phenomenon. Campaigners hope to assess the scale of the problem, collect relevant data, and record any violations of personal freedoms. 

Concerns of girls, their families and activists

Although data on the extent of compulsory hijab in educational settings are non-existent, cases are known to occur. Zeinab Ali, a fifth-grade student, told Amwaj.media that her schoolmates are compelled to wear the hijab during Islamic studies lessons. Those sessions highlight “Taklif”—religious obligations which arise at the age of puberty in Islam, such as praying and fasting. According to some Muslim scholars, girls are additionally required to wear the hijab upon reaching the age of puberty as defined in the faith. In some schools, Islamic studies classes promote the idea that girls must display “proper Islamic morals” by wearing headscarves.

Zeinab said she has felt pressured by school staff. “The school principal asked me to wear the hijab more than once,” she reported. Zeinab added that other school staff—including teachers—have openly questioned why she does not wear the hijab, making her feel ashamed in front of her classmates.

Girls’ families have raised their concerns about these practices. Othman Ahmad, the father of a middle school student wrote a critical letter to the Ministry of Education as well as to the administrators and educational supervisors at his daughter’s school, where children aged 10 to 12 are educated. He demanded that the focus of schools be education, the provision of basic services and building an appropriate learning atmosphere, rather than “other secondary matters.”

Ahmad told Amwaj.media that he fears that hijab enforcement may impact his daughter’s future. He is concerned that it could impact his daughter’s mental wellbeing in general and cause a sense of hatred towards schooling, saying that enforcing such practices “could be counterproductive and result in a backlash.”

Ahmad further stressed that “Islam is a religion of mercy and peace” and not obligation, referencing Quranic verses on there being “no compulsion in religion.” In his view, “The hijab is best practised when it stems from free will and full conviction” rather than because of “intimidation which traumatizes the students.”

Campaigners have taken on such concerns. Nawras Al-Khazraji, a women’s rights activist and head of the Babilyat Center—an organization based in Babylon (Babil) Governorate which advocates women’s empowerment—asserted to Amwaj.media that forcing girls and women to wear the headscarf is illegal. She also emphasized that girls and their families should be the ones to decide whether to adhere to the hijab.

Khazraji told Amwaj.media that public schools are notorious for imposing the hijab. She elaborated that some students are subjected to “bullying, insults and shaming” as well as “degrading and irrational acts” geared to pressure them to comply. Some families are ultimately forced to transfer their girls to private schools despite many being unable to afford the high fees. Other girls either wear something they would prefer not to—or limit their educational opportunities entirely. Khazraji told Amwaj.media that there should be training for teachers and school staff who “ought to focus on educational materials” rather than enforcement of religious mores.

The response from the authorities

The compulsory veiling for girls threatens to create a political storm. Amid tensions over the practice, the Ministry of Education in September took the step of denying having issued any directive that imposes the hijab as a prerequisite to be accepted at school. Ministry spokesperson Haidar Farouq Al-Saadoun said that “no official circular or letter has been sent to school administrations regarding forcing female students to wear the hijab.” Saadoun highlighted that such issues were “not within the ministry’s legislations” and that the ministry “does not have the right to force students to wear or take off their hijabs,” describing the matter as “part of the students’ personal liberty and freedom.” If a school was forcing this upon students, “It is not per an internal [ministry] directive,” he added.

The topic is not only on the agenda of the education ministry. Abd Al-Hassan Al-Khafaji is the assistant director of the Iraqi High Commission for Human Rights in Babylon Governorate, a group that works to promote human rights by monitoring violations by government entities. Khafaji told Amwaj.media that personal freedoms are guaranteed and safeguarded by international conventions and covenants ratified by the Iraqi government, not to mention the Iraqi constitution. He also underscored that forcing girls to wear the hijab is “a violation of personal freedoms and ought to be treated as such.”

At the same time, Khafaji noted that there has not been any official complaint lodged by students or their parents with his organization about schools in Babylon Governorate forcing girls to wear the hijab. But the issue remains a concern, and Khafaji highlighted the need to respect the personal rights and freedoms of individuals, whether it be in education or other sectors. 

The views of religious scholars

The practice of compelling observance of the Islamic hijab plays into wider debates in Iraqi society. The hijab is very commonly seen among women across different age groups and social strata, with many wearing it for both religious and cultural reasons. Religious figures have also pushed for its use in schools among puberty-aged students.

One of those promoting this view is Sheikh Muslim Al-Alkawi from Babylon Governorate. He stressed to Amwaj.media that wearing the hijab was commanded by God and Prophet Muhammad. Therefore, in his view, “Whoever debates the hijab or opposes it is rejecting the commands of God,” calling the headscarf “a divine command that has to be adhered to.” Alkawi quoted Quranic lines that advise women to “guard their chastity, and not to reveal their adornments,” except to male relatives. He further maintained that “women hiding their attractions, including hair, is in the best interest of both women and men” as it is “a form of modesty, chastity and purity.”

In this vein, Alkawi praised schools that promote observance of the hijab, calling on “members of society, parents, and clan elders to voice their support for such celebrations and encourage participation in them as a means to support and encourage students and express pride in the hijab.” The religious scholar additionally stated that girls must from the age of nine observe religious obligations falling under “Taklif”—an idea hotly contested by other Muslim scholars—and that the headscarf should be mandatory from that age onwards.

Walid Ismael, a student of religious sciences, told Amwaj.media he believes the issue of the hijab should be approached differently to boost girls’ connection with religion. He criticized the traditional and sometimes harsh practices adopted to impose the headscarf, saying it often sparks a backlash and causes a negative reaction from those forced to wear the garment.

Ismael also stressed Iraq’s religious and cultural diversity, saying schools and authorities should “consider other members of society who do not necessarily hold our beliefs.” He added, “If we want to spread our religious teachings we ought to do it in an innovative way with accord, dialogue, and humanity kept at heart.”

Ultimately, although compulsory observance of the hijab may continue to be a point of contention in Iraqi society, activists will be hoping that their campaign to change this practice can convince others to join their cause.