Azerbaijan’s school hijab ban: What’s behind it, and what’s next?

Key Points:

• Azerbaijan's government approved an amendment indirectly banning the hijab in schools, citing the need to uphold the country's secular principles, which has led to protests and class boycotts by students and teachers.
• The amendment mandates a unified dress code for state schools, allowing traditional clothing only during approved celebrations, aiming to reflect Azerbaijani cultural and moral values and maintain professional standards.
• The policy has sparked emotional responses, including a hunger strike by imprisoned journalist Polad Aslanov, and has triggered a social media campaign and protests both within Azerbaijan and in neighboring Turkiye.
• Demonstrators in Turkiye protested outside Azerbaijan's consulate, drawing parallels to Turkiye's 1997 ban on headscarves in universities and civil service, while Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev indirectly criticized foreign interference, likely referencing Turkiye.
• Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan highlighted the growing discrimination against Muslim women in his UN General Assembly speech, though Turkish authorities have not officially responded to Aliyev’s remarks.