The Sierra Leone Constitution allows individuals to practice any religion they choose. However, the austerity of this right is tested when an individual’s belief is publicly displayed. For Muslim women wearing the Hijab/Niqab, the intersection between private religious practice and its social expression is explored on a daily basis.

For over 15 years, women in Hijab and Niqab have been a target of provocation, discrimination, marginalization, verbal and physical abuses ironically in a country where the majority of its population are Muslims and well-known for its religious tolerance and freedom. Several Organisations have been relentlessly engaged in the advocacy to stop these awful situations with several cases been reported to the authorities. Peaceful advocacy marches have been also held including the February 2nd 2019 in respect of World Hijab Day by the Muslim Women Advocacy Network in Sierra Leone – a coalition of all female youths Islamic organisations supported by other Organisations. Her excellency the First Lady, Madam Fatima Bio while delivering her keynote address gave a firm warning and strongly condemned every act of discrimination on women in hijab and Niqab and as she heightened the “Hands off Our Girls” Campaign”, she simultaneously pronounced the “Hands off Our Hijab” campaign and then advised we work on a paper to formally seek the intervention of government. Special guests also included the Minister of Social Welfare, Gender and Children’s Affairs, Madam Baindu Dassama, who practically marched along with us in solidarity with our campaign.

Recently, the concerns and fear of the Muslim community culminated as the women continue to face the persistent rise of discriminations, prejudices and molestations especially with the unfortunate incidents of security forces randomly and physically attacked and disgraced a niqabi and some hijabis for face masks. Reports were also made with regards hijabi students being disallowed to take the internal, public and private exams because they refused to strip (details of these incidents and more are stated in the discriminating testimony reports attached).

This lead us to you reading this so as to exercise our frustrations, demand our rights to equal opportunities and seek the necessary justice for if the existing laws are not protecting everyone equally then the need to enact new ones have become mandatory.