10 Muslim organisations unite for World Hijab Day 2020

NO fewer than 10 prominent Muslim women organisations are set to team up for this year’s World Hijab Day.

The yearly event has become a potent tool to create global awareness about the victimisation of Muslim women who wear hijab in Nigeria and elsewhere.

The World Hijab Day was introduced in 2013 by Nazma Khan, a Bangladeshi Muslimah in New York, United States, and more than 140 countries, including Nigeria, have been using the platform for hijab advocacy, calling on governments to end the increasing assault on Muslim girls in their various schools.

This year’s edition tagged ‘Unity in Diversity’ is taking another dimension as several Muslim women’s organisations will be pooling resources to stage spectacular events simultaneously on Saturday, February 1, 2020, across Nigeria.

The organisations are Ansar-ud-Deen Society of Nigeria, Nasrul-lahi-li-Fathi Society of Nigeria (NASFAT), Federation of Muslim Women’s Associations in Nigeria (FOMWAN), Al-Mu’minaat (The Believing Women Organisation), the Muslim Students’ Society of Nigeria (MSSN) and Hijab Rights Advocacy Initiative (HRAI).

Other organisations that have endorsed the event and signed up to be part of the World Hijab Day 2020 with dedicated hashtag #LetsWalk are The Criterion, Muslim Rights Concern (MURIC), Muslim Public Affairs Centre (MPAC), Nigeria, Guild of Muslim Professionals (GMP) and Pristine Cactus Foundation.

It was gathered that this year’s edition will be declared open on Friday, January 31, with a world press conference by the coalition, which will have representatives of all the participating organisations.

The press briefing to herald the 2020 World Hijab Day will be held at at Bugudu Kaltho Press Centre, Alausa Ikeja, Lagos.

Other events which will hold at four major centres are expected to be attended by hundreds of thousands of Muslim ladies and students of secondary schools and tertiary institutions.

In Lagos, for instance, the hijab solidarity walk will take place simultaneously from Maryland to the open space of the Gani Fawehinmi Park, Ojota. Another one will start from Roundabout Bus Stop, Otto and terminate at Cele Bus Stop, Ijanikin, Ojo.

In Ogun State, a similar walk will hold from Ansar-Ud-Deen Primary School praying ground to Sango under-bridge in Otta.