Azerbaijan National NGO Forum issues statement on school dress codes
The National NGO Forum of Azerbaijan has issued a statement regarding school dress codes.
The statement received by Operativ Media reads:
“In recent days, we have observed information attacks on internet resources of Iran and other foreign countries targeting Azerbaijan’s exemplary secular statehood model, promoting the establishment of a state structure based on Sharia principles in our country, and aiming to mislead public opinion and artificially create confrontation in society. We strongly condemn the deliberate politicization of discussions around student and teacher dress codes in schools, as well as provocations aimed at shifting this issue into the realm of religious conflict.
As an umbrella organization bringing together hundreds of NGOs in its ranks, we call on Azerbaijani society to remain vigilant against information provocations directed against our national interests, constitutional values, and social solidarity.
Secularism is a historical achievement, statehood tradition, and national asset of Azerbaijan. Azerbaijan went down in history as the first country in the Muslim East and the Turkic world to form a tradition of secular statehood. Our people have always treated their religious and moral values with great respect, and Islam has become an important part of our nation’s historical and cultural heritage. The green color on our State Flag is also a symbol of our people’s historical and cultural connection with Islamic civilization. At the same time, the strength of Azerbaijani statehood is manifested in representatives of various religions living as one family in peace and mutual respect. Mosques, churches, and synagogues operate side by side in our country. State attention to protecting places of worship, restoring historical monuments, and constructing new places of worship is a vivid example of Azerbaijan's traditions of religious tolerance and peaceful coexistence. The fact that restoration and reconstruction work in our liberated territories began with a mosque (the Aghdam Juma Mosque) and that the call to prayer resonated under gunfire at the moment Shusha was liberated remain in memory as symbols of our people's devotion to Islam and respect for their religious values.
Using religious values for political purposes and turning religious beliefs into a tool for confrontation in society aligns neither with the spiritual essence of Islam nor with our people’s centuries-old traditions of coexistence.
Today, compliance with established rules for everyone in educational institutions is a requirement of the general legal framework. The implementation of these rules is neither directed against religious values nor intended to regulate citizens' private lives outside of school. The requirements for student uniforms established by the relevant decision of the Cabinet of Ministers of the Republic of Azerbaijan state that elements of clothing that violate the unified uniform policy and do not comply with the secular principle of general education are not permitted. At the same time, requirements regarding educators' attire are intended to preserve teachers' professional appearance and the secular character of the educational environment. As the National NGO Forum of Azerbaijan, we support the application of dress codes in educational institutions in accordance with legislation, consistently, transparently, and equally for all. Schools should be places where science, education, national and moral values, and free thought develop, rather than platforms for religious propaganda and ideological influences.
A society where religion is separate from the state is the conscious choice of the Azerbaijani people, and attacks on this value will yield no results. Religious superstition and obscurantism are remnants of the past, and the Azerbaijan Enlightenment Movement persistently fought against these evils, forming the foundations of civil statehood. Those who wish to drag Azerbaijan back into those dark ages and ignorance, to 'mullahize' or 'Iranize' Azerbaijan, and to turn it into a state governed by religious dogmas will not achieve their intentions.
While upholding its religious values, Azerbaijani society is equally determined to resolutely protect the principle of secular statehood. We believe that the main criteria in this matter should not be emotions, provocative calls, or propaganda directed from abroad, but the Constitution, legislation, and national interests of the Republic of Azerbaijan.
National solidarity and public stability are everyone's responsibility. As the National NGO Forum of Azerbaijan, we call on representatives of civil society, intellectuals, teachers, parents, media outlets, and the public as a whole to demonstrate a principled stance against information campaigns that exploit religious sensitivities and aim to divide society. We invite our citizens not to fall for provocations and to approach issues from the perspective of legal, national, and public interests. The rule of law, national solidarity, and secularism are the integral pillars of our state and society. Protecting these values is a civic duty for each of us.”
