I was moved to act after learning that Muslim female Health Assistants at Kalmunai Base Hospital were reportedly instructed to remove their hijabs as a condition of continuing their work.

For the purpose of this petition, “hijab” refers to a religious head covering that does not conceal the face.

This is not an isolated concern. Over the years, Muslim women in Sri Lanka have repeatedly faced uncertainty and disputes concerning religious attire in schools, government institutions and public-sector workplaces.

Sri Lanka is a multi-religious and multicultural nation. Our Constitution recognises and protects freedom of religion, equality before the law and protection against discrimination on the ground of religion. At the same time, the State has a legitimate responsibility to safeguard national security, public safety, identification requirements and professional standards.

These principles need not conflict.

A Muslim woman should not be required to remove her hijab in order to serve in the public sector. Her religious identity and her professional responsibilities should be able to coexist with dignity and equality.

Existing Public Administration and sector-specific rules regulate official attire and uniforms. However, the absence of a clear, harmonised and consistently applied national standard concerning hijab in the public service has resulted in uncertainty and differing interpretations between institutions.

This uncertainty places Muslim women in an unfair and difficult position and has repeatedly resulted in affected individuals having to seek clarification or intervention from administrative authorities, the Human Rights Commission of Sri Lanka and the courts.

The same question should not have to be resolved repeatedly, institution by institution and woman by woman.

We therefore respectfully call upon the Government of Sri Lanka to establish one clear and nationally applicable policy or Circular governing the wearing of hijab by Muslim women in the public service.

Such a policy should:

• recognise the right of Muslim women to wear hijab together with their official or professional attire;
• ensure that identification, security, health and safety requirements are implemented in a manner that respects religious freedom and does not result in unnecessary or discriminatory restrictions;
• ensure consistency between Public Administration requirements and all sector-specific regulations across the public service, including health, education and other government institutions; and
• provide clear guidance to all Government institutions so that these matters are not interpreted differently from one institution to another.

This petition does not seek special privilege for any community. It seeks clarity, equality, consistency and respect for fundamental rights.

Sri Lanka can protect religious freedom and the dignity of women while safeguarding national security, public safety and the sovereignty of the State.

We respectfully urge the Government of Sri Lanka to resolve this long-standing uncertainty through a clear and nationally applicable policy so that similar disputes do not continue to arise.

A woman should not have to choose between her faith