South Africa Allows Muslim Women in Army to Wear Hijab
South Africa has allowed Muslim Women in the military to wear Hijab.
The South African military has amended its dress policy to allow Muslim women to wear headscarves as part of their uniform, an army spokesperson said on Thursday.
In January last year, an officer had been indicted for wearing a hijab under her military beret.
The Military court after a hearing of the case of Major Fatima Isaacs, a clinical forensic pathologist in the SA army, withdrew the charges against her for wearing a hijab under her military cap.
Major Fatima is reported to have faced dismissal for ‘disobeying a lawful command’ for refusing to remove it.
South Africa’s army has changed its dress policy to allow Muslim women to wear hijab as a part of their uniform amid the religious intolerance in the world.
Applying the condition that the headwrap must not cover the woman’s ears, and it must be wrapped tightly and must be of plain black in color.
Military Court Decision:
— Legal Resources Centre (@LRCSouthAfrica) January 22, 2020
The Military Court withdrew charges against Major Isaacs. She is allowed to wear her head wrap subject to certain restrictions.
The restrictions are that her head wrap must not cover her ears, it must be wrapped tightly & must be of plain black in color. pic.twitter.com/CMAvUHH2CV
In the beginning, the military did not amend its dress policy, prompting Isaacs to file a case in South Africa’s equality court challenging regulations restricting religious wear.
The South African Defence Force (SANDF) eventually agreed to amend its policy this week and allow all Muslim women to cover their heads while on duty.
“The SANDF dress regulation was updated to allow the wearing of headscarves by Muslim (women) according to stipulations in the dress regulations,” spokesman Mafi Mgobozi told the AFP news agency on Thursday.
Welcoming the decision, The South Africa-based Legal Resources Centre, which represented Isaacs, onTwitter on Wednesday and said it was withdrawing the equality court case.
