Denmark Seeks Niqab Ban, Removal of School Prayer Rooms

By Staff, Agencies

Denmark’s Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen is calling for expanded restrictions on Islamic practices in public institutions, including a proposal to extend the country's public niqab ban to educational settings and eliminate prayer rooms in schools and universities.

The 2018 law does not extend the ban to schools, and only prohibits full-face coverings such as the niqab and burqa in public spaces, but does not include classrooms or campus areas.

Frederiksen now claims that this legal gap allows for continued religious pressure and social control over Muslim women in educational environments.

“There are gaps in the legislation that allow Muslim social control and oppression of women at educational institutions in Denmark,” Frederiksen told Danish news agency Ritzau on Thursday.

The proposed measures include not only extending the veil ban into schools but also removing designated prayer rooms on campuses.

Frederiksen framed the initiative as a necessary step to reinforce 'democratic values' and 'protect students' from coercive religious environments.

“You have the right to be a person of faith and practice your religion, but democracy takes precedence,” she said. “When you’re at school, you’re there to get your education.”

Frederiksen added that while prayer rooms may appear inclusive in theory, they “provide a breeding ground for discrimination and pressure” in practice.

Education ministers are expected to coordinate with universities to implement the changes.

This initiative was prompted in part by recommendations from the Commission for the Forgotten Women’s Struggle.

The commission previously urged the Danish government to extend the ban and even proposed banning hijabs in primary schools, a plan that was later dropped in 2023 following public protests.