Getting to Know the Other: Niqab-Wearing Women in Liberal Democracies (018881)

Overview

Delivery method

Virtual classroom

Duration

1.5 hours

Audience

Employees

Description

"The niqab is incompatible with gender equality." "Women are forced by the men in their families to wear the niqab." "Wearing a niqab makes living together impossible." This talk will examine such claims made by the majority to constrain the lives of a small minority. The rampant spread of legislation banning face veils globally has transformed niqab-wearing from a non-existent issue to a spectacular threat to the nation state. Even educated, sophisticated scholars and judges who claim to accept and welcome diversity will "draw the line" at the niqab. Relying on interviews with niqab-wearing women from Ontario and Quebec, Bakht helps to refocus understandings of the niqab from the perspective of the wearer. Women's explanations for why and when they wear the niqab suggest a complex intermingling of doctrinal knowledge and practical lived experience that negotiates religion day to day. Women often pair their religious agency with a sophisticated rights-based framework to justify their sartorial choices. Their empowered interpretations of their religion and their conviction to lead a life that is different from most, in countries with pervasive anti-Muslim racism, suggest a great deal of independence and courage. Bakht then analyzes popular and legislative objections to the niqab, revealing their specious logic. She considers the grave consequences for women's freedom of expression, religion, emotional well-being and physical safety when governments insist on regulating women's dress. By hearing some of the experiences of niqab-wearing women and analyzing objections and legal proscriptions of the niqab, the hope is that we might get to know niqab-wearing women and ourselves better.

Learning Objectives:

By the end of this learning activity, participants will be able to:

• Hearing some of the experiences of niqab-wearing women and analyzing objections and legal proscrip­tions of the niqa and;
• Gain a better understading of the analyzied popular and legislative objections to the niqab.

Presented by: Employment Equity in collaboration with the Centre of Expertise for Learning and Professional Development (CoELPD).

Facilitator: Professor Natasha Bakht, University of Ottawa

Registration deadline (including Manager's approval in PeopleSoft): 5 working days prior to course date.

Cost: Free (subject to Training Cancellation Policy)

Cancellation policy: Please note, cancellation without substitution, less than 10 working days prior to the course is subject to a cancellation fee of $50.00 for this activity.

For more information: Contact the Centre of Expertise for Learning and Professional Development.

Participants are responsible for adding their training activities to their Outlook calendars.

Accreditation by Law Societies:

Please note that this activity is not eligible for accreditation of continuing professional development (CPD) with the law societies.

If you have questions, please contact the accreditation team by email (Accreditations@justice.gc.ca).