BAKU, Azerbaijan, October 18. Azerbaijan has
introduced new rules governing clothing in public schools,
reinforcing the secular character of state education under
amendments to the Law on General Education signed by President
Ilham Aliyev in July 2026.
The measures, implemented through government regulations adopted
in September and October, have brought renewed attention to a
fundamental question about Azerbaijan's political and social model:
how does a country with predominantly Muslim population balance
religious freedom with the secular principles governing its public
institutions?
The answer lies in Azerbaijan's constitutional framework, which
separates religion from the state while guaranteeing freedom of
conscience.
What do the new rules say?
On September 21, the Cabinet of Ministers adopted Resolution No.
309, updating the rules governing school uniforms. The regulations
prohibit clothing elements that violate the uniform requirements or
are inconsistent with the secular character of general
education.
On October 6, similar requirements concerning professional
attire and the secular nature of education were extended to
teachers in public schools.
Neither the amendments nor the regulations explicitly mention
the hijab. However, religious head coverings are not included in
the approved school uniform, and the new requirements have been
applied in practice to prevent girls and teachers wearing hijabs
from attending classes in public schools.
The distinction is important: the measures concern dress codes
in state-run educational institutions, rather than establishing a
nationwide ban on wearing the hijab. No equivalent restriction has
been introduced for everyday life outside public schools, and
religious educational institutions remain outside the scope of
these particular school-uniform rules.
Why is secularism central to the debate?
Secularism is not simply a policy preference in Azerbaijan; it
is explicitly enshrined in the country's Constitution.
Article 7 defines Azerbaijan as a democratic, law-governed,
secular and unitary republic. Article 18 establishes the separation
of religion from the state, guarantees that all religions are equal
before the law and stipulates that the state education system must
be secular.
These provisions establish the constitutional basis for the
government's position that public education should operate
according to common rules rather than religious requirements.
Under this approach, secularism does not necessarily mean the
exclusion of religion from society. Instead, it means that
religious institutions and beliefs do not determine the operating
principles of the state, while citizens retain their right to
freedom of conscience.
The government and the ruling party have presented uniform
requirements as a way to maintain a common educational environment
and prevent religious, ethnic and socioeconomic distinctions from
becoming sources of division among students.
In this context, school uniforms serve a purpose beyond
appearance: they are intended to reinforce the principle that
public education is a shared civic institution in which students
are subject to the same standards.
Does the policy amount to a general ban on the
hijab?
No. The distinction between restrictions in public schools and a
general prohibition is central to understanding the measures.
Chairman of the Caucasus Muslims Board Allahshukur Pashazadeh
has publicly stated that there is no nationwide ban on the hijab in
Azerbaijan. The issue, he said, concerns school uniforms in state
educational institutions.
The Ministry of Health has also rejected claims that similar
restrictions were being introduced in hospitals, describing a
purported order to that effect as fake.
The government's position is that the school rules derive from
legislation and the constitutional principle of secular education,
rather than from an attempt to prohibit religious practice
throughout the country.
How does this fit Azerbaijan's broader
identity?
Azerbaijan is a country, with Muslims accounting for
approximately 96% of its population, according to available
estimates. Yet its state institutions operate within a secular
constitutional framework shaped by the country's history and
reaffirmed after independence.
This combination distinguishes Azerbaijan's model: religious
traditions remain an important part of social and cultural life,
while the state maintains a formal separation between religious
authority and public administration.
The new school rules reflect the government's effort to preserve
that distinction in one of the most sensitive areas of public life:
education.
At the same time, the policy raises broader questions about how
secular principles should be applied alongside individual rights,
including freedom of religion and conscience. The constitutional
framework establishes both commitments, making their practical
implementation an important test of how the state balances
them.
Ultimately, Azerbaijan's approach rests on the principle that a
Muslim-majority society does not require religious rules to govern
its public institutions. By reaffirming the secular character of
state education, the government is seeking to preserve a model in
which religious belief remains a matter of personal freedom, while
public schools operate under common, legally established
standards.
