The United Nations (UN) has lashed out at France’s recent decision to ban the wearing of Islamic headscarves for athletes competing in the Paris Olympics next year.
Marta Hurtado, a spokeswoman for the UN’s High Commissioner for Human Rights, argued on Tuesday that “No one should impose on a woman what she needs to wear, or not wear” adding, “Discriminatory practices against a group can have harmful consequences.”
Her statement followed France’s Sports Minister Amélie Oudéa-Castéra’s argument that the decision was taken to reflect the nation’s commitment to its strong secularist principles. Oudéa-Castéra’s Ministry claimed in a statement in response to the UN’s criticism on Tuesday: “[Muslim women] may not wear a headscarf (or any other accessory or garment expressing their religious affiliation) when representing France in a national or international sporting competition.”
Notably, France is the sixth largest contributor to the UN, paying $128 million, or just under five percent of the organization’s annual budget.
The French government has made an increased effort to integrate Muslim women and girls into society, such as ruling last month that girls cannot wear the Islamic “abaya” in schools.
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