Women in 140 countries celebrated World Hijab Day on Wednesday by wearing the hijab in solidarity with Muslim women and in order to better understand the custom.
The hijab is the name given to the headscarf Muslim women wear to cover their hair, but it is also a term that denotes modest Muslim dress, according to the UK Express. On Feb. 1, women of all faiths wear a hijab in a tradition observed since 2013.
Muslim-American Nazma Khan from New York started the movement five years ago.
“I thought if I could invite women of all faiths — Muslim and non-Muslim — to walk in my shoes just for one day, perhaps things would change,” Khan said, the Express reported.
Women are asked to post photos of themselves wearing the headscarves on social media under the hashtag #iStand4Hijab.
Organizers hope World Hijab Day will “create a more peaceful world where global citizens respect each other,” the Express reported. “WHD focuses on fighting bigotry, discrimination, and prejudice against Muslim women.”
Organizers also noted that some countries are banning headscarves because of Muslim attacks in those locations, and that Muslim women are being “harassed verbally and physically.” In other countries like Iran and Saudi Arabia, women are required to wear the hijab.
A blog post on the WHD website says, “When a Muslim woman covers her hair, chest and body, she is sending a silent message that she respects her body. No one has the right to observe, gawk at and judge a Muslim woman by the highlights in her hair or curves on her body. Instead they judge her for what is in her mind, her character, and her goals and ambitions.”
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