Study: Veil-Wearing Among Muslim Women in France Rises, INSEE Reports

Among the most visible practices of Islam, "the wearing of the veil by Muslim women is an issue of public debate in terms of the visibility of the Muslim religion and gender equality," the study states, providing figures on this practice and its evolution over the past ten years, drawn from the Trajectories and Origins (TeO) survey. According to the study, a quarter of Muslim women (26%) aged 18 to 49 say they wear the veil and 90% of them continue to wear it. "This practice varies greatly between immigrant women of an origin and the descendants of this same origin; it concerns 36% of immigrant Muslim women and 17% of descendants of immigrants," the study published on Thursday reveals.

Increasingly, the wearing of the veil has become a practice observed by women of all origins and all generations. In 2008-2009, 22% of immigrant Muslim women reported wearing the veil. Ten years later (2019-2020), they were 36%. Among the descendants of immigrants, 13% reported wearing the veil in 2008-2009, compared to 17% ten years later. "These increases first reflect an evolution of practices in the countries of origin, which is visible for immigrant women, and a more limited increase for second-generation women," explain the authors of the study.

The wearing of the veil is a common practice among immigrants from Turkey and the Middle East (46%), the Maghreb (37%) and sub-Saharan Africa (28%), the study also points out, specifying that the practice is also noted among immigrant women aged 35-44 (42%), but more widespread among descendants of immigrants aged 25-34 (20%, compared to 17% among those aged 35-44). But, the study qualifies, the wearing of the veil, considered a factor of exclusion of Muslim women, is more frequent among inactive women (56% among immigrants and 39% among descendants of immigrants). The practice also differs according to socio-professional category (13% for women executives and intermediate professions and 38% for workers), concludes the study.