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The discussion about whether or not to allow headscarves in government positions in Belgium is as old as the road to Rome. That’s why the federal government is now working on a uniform with a head covering for all civil servants working at service counters. This way, they hope to avoid making a definitive decision on whether to allow the hijab. However, they have received a lot of criticism for this.
Belgium proposes uniform with headscarf to avoid debate
The coalition agreement of the Arizona coalition states that a uniform or dress code will be introduced for civil servants working at service counters. Until recently, it was unclear what this would look like. However, the parties CD&V and Vooruit have indicated that they are considering a uniform with a head covering.
The parties are mainly looking at Antwerp, where a similar uniform with a head covering is being considered. It has been emphasized that this would be a “head covering without religious connotations.” However, what exactly this will look like remains unclear, as the concept still needs further development.
The government must make a choice
On paper, it seems like a simple solution: everyone wears the same uniform, and religion is not excluded. However, in practice, this plan is not as straightforward as it seems. According to Alexander De Becker, professor of labor law and public administration at Ghent University, there are legal objections.
“This will be particularly difficult at the European Court of Human Rights. When implementing it, you quickly run into either freedom of religion or freedom of expression. Especially because you need to provide a reason for a uniform. (…) In the case of civil servants at a service counter, that reason is less clear—except for excluding religion.”
According to De Becker, the government simply has to choose whether to allow religious expressions in government positions or not.
Minister of Public Administration Vanessa Matz, who is responsible for developing the plan, has not yet commented on the matter. The coalition agreement states that the federal government will first observe how Antwerp handles the introduction of the neutral uniform before making its own decision.
Civil servants with a head covering: a complicated experiment
I find this to be a remarkable initiative by the Belgian government. Implementing uniforms and dress codes is already complex—especially when it involves employees who were previously allowed to wear their own clothing to work.
Now, they also want to add a head covering. This is something most people wouldn’t be thrilled about. And to top it off, it needs to cover the hair sufficiently to serve as a replacement for the hijab—but it must not have a religious appearance. Aside from the question of what this should look like, the initiative raises many questions and uncertainties.
For example, would a woman who normally wears a hijab even want to wear an alternative? And would that alternative meet religious requirements? If so, which requirements? After all, a hijab is just one type of headscarf. There are many different styles, each worn in its own unique way. And if the head covering meets the standards of one religion but not another, you’ve got a new problem: discrimination, which is also not allowed.
In short: I agree with De Becker. The government just needs to make a decision. Trying to introduce a uniform in this way will only make things even more complicated.
What do you think about this initiative?
Greetings,
Aileen