Austria has enforced a law banning Islamic headscarves for girls under 14 in all schools, effective September 7, 2026. Integration Minister Claudia Bauer defended the ban as a measure to protect young girls and promote gender equality, calling the headscarf a symbol of control. The Official Islamic Community in Austria opposed the law, citing religious freedom violations, and plans to challenge it in the Constitutional Court, which previously overturned a similar ban in 2020. Non-compliance can lead to fines of up to €800 for parents.
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