After declaring Gambia an Islamic republic, the president orders female civil servants to cover their hair

The government has issued a decree ordering female civil servants to cover their hair while at work. No reasons were given for the introduction of the new rule which was contained in a memo. It comes only a
few weeks after President Yahya Jammeh announced Gambia would become an Islamic republic due to its majority Muslim population and a desire to break from its colonial past.

The memo stated ‘all female staff’ within government departments were no longer allowed to expose their hair during working hours, effective from December 31, 2015. It went on to urge female staff ‘to use a head tie and neatly wrap their hair’. ‘All heads of departments and agencies are urgently advised to implement this directive and bring it to the attention of their female staff,’ the memo concluded. Jammeh has ruled Gambia since seizing power in 1994….. ds is a laudable move…..