Botswana Celebrates Pink Hijab Day
Ephraim Keoreng
Staff Writer
Muslims in Botswana are scheduled to mark the Pink Hijab Day on Wednesday this week for the first time. The day is marked internationally to create breast cancer awareness.
Local representative of the Pink Hijab movement, Fatima Fakier Deria said the day has been observed in North America, Europe and the Middle East. South Africa celebrated the day for the first time last year. "Botswana will participate for the first time this year and we have already started preparing for it by going to schools like Westwood International and Al Nur. We gave presentations to sensitise the students about breast cancer," she said.The website, www.pinkhijabday.net says that Pink Hijab Day is intended to shatter stereotypes about Muslim women, as well as to raise awareness and funds for breast cancer research.
"All over the world, Muslims participated by wearing pink hijabs, pink ribbons, and donating to breast cancer foundations," the website says.
Hijab is an Arab word for the veil that Muslim women use to cover their heads and faces.Deria said that Hijab is meant to enhance modesty and to ensure that a woman does not attract unnecessary attention. She said Muslim women wear loose fitting dresses to protect themselves from being harassed especially by men in public. She said that the purpose of the Pink Hijab Day is to encourage Muslim women to participate in helping the community.
Deria said that Pink Hajib Day began in Columbia, United States, when a group of girls decided to wear pink hijabs to encourage others to ask questions about hijabs and Islam.After this more people began participating in the event and then the Pink Hijab Day came into being.
