British-born Bangladeshi Sultana Tavadar has become the first hijab-wearing criminal lawyer to be appointed to the position of "Queen's Counsellor", the highest position a lawyer can hold in England. Tavadar is leading an international initiative against the headscarf ban on female lawyers in France.
In a press interview with her at the historic entrance to the Old Bailey Court in London, Tavadar spoke about the story of her rise to the top in her legal profession despite the difficulties she faced.
Lawyer Sultana Tavadar spoke about the story of her rise to the top in her legal profession despite the difficulties she faced (Anatolia)
Who is Sultana Tavadar?
Tavadar was born to a Bangladeshi family in Luton, near London, and on March 21 she was appointed to the position of "Queen's Counsel", which includes 1928 lawyers in England.
Holders of this position can provide advice and recommendations to states and international organizations with regard to human rights and international law.
Tavadar explained that her appointment to the position was not easy, but rather her journey was long and arduous.
Only two veiled women out of 575 women counselors
She added that the number of women appointed to the position of "Queen's Counsellor" is 575, including 34 from ethnic minorities, noting that there are only two veiled women among them, and that she is the first criminal lawyer to hold the position.
She expressed her great happiness to be appointed to this position, which is the dream of every lawyer, pointing out that women - especially veiled women - who come from ethnic minorities face various difficulties in working life in England.
Tavadar mentioned that at the beginning of her work as a lawyer, she was the only one who wore the hijab in the criminal court, and there was often silence in the courts when she was seen, and they often asked her if she was an accused in a case or a translator, and no one asked if she was the lawyer for the case before it. court.
"People make many assumptions about who you are, what you are, and if you are qualified for this job? We have to overcome such and other difficulties, and I have faced them throughout my career," she said.
Lawyer Sultana Tavadar leads an international initiative to oppose the headscarf ban imposed on female lawyers in France (Anatolia)
Discrimination in France is a denial of freedom of expression
Regarding the decision of the French Supreme Court, two weeks before her appointment as an advisor to the queen, that the ban on headscarves in the legal field is not discrimination, Tavadar said that the decision is a sad irony and a kind of discrimination and a denial of freedom of opinion.
And she stated - in her interview with "Anatolia" - that she attended the ceremony of her appointment to the position of "Queen's Adviser" while she was wearing the veil, and she was exempted from wearing the wig that is usually placed in those ceremonies, but the matter is completely different in France, as veiled women are not allowed to enter the court or appear Their abilities and efficiency at work, in addition to the difficulties they face in many areas of life.
And she added, "These discriminatory practices in France are tantamount to discrimination on the basis of sex, race and religion, and are a denial of freedom of opinion and expression; that is, it is a violation of many rights, and I am happy to have reached this position, I feel sad and sorry for what is happening on the other side of the Channel” (meaning France), according to Anatolia.
Tavadar: We submitted a request to the United Nations to combat the ban imposed by Paris on the participation of veiled women (Anatolia)
A request for the United Nations against the ban on headscarves in France
Tavadar explained that she is one of the leaders of the international legal campaign against the veil ban in various fields in France, and that they submitted a request to the United Nations in the context of efforts to combat the ban practiced by Paris on the participation of veiled women in many fields, most notably sports.
"It makes no sense to organize the Olympic Games, which symbolize tolerance and the convergence of cultures, in a country (France) that does not allow women of another religion to participate in sports," she added.
Women should keep fighting and not give up
Tavadar sent a message to women who are subjected to all kinds of discrimination not to despair, and to continue the struggle to overcome these difficulties and obstacles.
"I hope that my success in becoming the Queen's Counsellor will be a model for women that they can also succeed," she concluded.