Source : World Bulletin / 14 Mar 2014

Women in Algeria have reacted angrily to comments made by the country's Religious Affairs Minister, Abu Abdullah Gulamullah, who implied that women should conform to workplace rules that forbid them from wearing the headscarf.

His comments on Sunday, telling women to respect workplace rules, was criticized by the country's Peace Society Movement, which said his comments were upsetting. The Independent Awakening Party also slammed his comments, calling on him to repent.

Although there is no law in Algeria preventing women with headscarves from working, reports of women being turned down by job opportunities because of them wearing headscarves are very common.