France Implements Ban on Abayas for Female Students in State Schools

France's education minister has announced that female students will be banned from wearing abayas, a loose-fitting full-length robe worn by some Muslim women, in state-run schools starting from the new school year in September. France has a strict ban on religious signs in state schools and government buildings, and the ban on abayas follows the previous ban on headscarves in 2004. The decision has sparked a political divide, with right-wing parties supporting the ban and left-wing groups expressing concerns for the rights of Muslim women and girls. The education minister argues that the abaya is a religious gesture that challenges the secular nature of schools, while critics argue that clothing alone should not be considered a religious sign.