Wearing of the hijab, or Islamic headscarf, continues to be controversial in a number of countries. Interfax News today reports that, despite a petition signed by 30,000 Muslim women, the government of Kyrgyzstan continues to refuse to permit women to wear headscarves for passport photographs.
In Tunisia, the government is defending its ban on wearing the hijab in educational institutions and public buildings. Islam Online reports that women students are increasingly kept out of classes if they insist on wearing a hijab. Last month in Tunisia, security forces raided toy stores and removed all the Fulla dolls. Islam Online reports that these hijab clad dolls, with long sleeve dresses and a prayer mate, have outpaced Barbie dolls in popularity in the country. Tunisian Religious Affairs Minister Aboubaker Akhzouri said that the hijab runs counter to the country's "cultural legacy," and is seen as a "foreign phenomenon" in society.
