The veil is not a "vector of emancipation" for women says Schiappa

Geneva (AFP)

The veil is not a "vector of emancipation" for women, said Wednesday the French Secretary of State for Equality between Women and Men, however, it was not in favor of his ban during school trips.

"I do not think there is any need for veiling, I do not think the veil is a vehicle for emancipation for women," Schiappa told a group of journalists. during her visit to the UN in Geneva (Switzerland) where she has to attend a meeting on women's rights.

But "I am not in favor of banning the veil in field trips," she added, while the Senate passed Tuesday night a bill prohibiting the wearing of religious symbols to parents accompanying school trips.

The subject of wearing the veil was recently relaunched by a National Rally (RN) elected to a veiled woman at a public meeting. The right continues to urge President Emmanuel Macron to speak again on secularism.

Echo, the head of state on Tuesday targeted those who, "wanting to sow hatred and division," use the principle of secularism "to lead the fight against this or that religion."

In Geneva, where she met with the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Michelle Bachelet, Ms. Schiappa explained that she "strongly" defended secularism, a real "subject of commitment, passion".

"France is not a juxtaposition of communities, France is a national community, an indivisible, social, secular and democratic republic, it is our French identity secularism, these are our foundations and I believe that secularism can be protection for women's rights, "she said.

Regarding the wearing of the veil, "my position on the subject of the veil in accompanying school trips has always been the same," she said, ensuring that a ban "would have very negative effects perversions including the exclusion of a number of women wearing headscarves in a number of neighborhoods ".

"If we exclude them, I am afraid that we will exclude some of the parents of students from the school of the Republic, which is very important for me, it is to protect the children of the religious fact in the school, "she said.

© 2019 AFP