صراط عشق صراط عشق
Sultana Tafadar becomes the first hijab-wearer from the Criminal Bar to be appointed Queen’s Counsel.
As a human rights, international law and criminal justice barrister specializing in counterterrorism and national security cases, Tafadar is the middle daughter of immigrants who moved to the UK from Bangladesh.
“Undoubtedly, most of us face challenges at work. Women tend to face certain challenges, women from minority backgrounds face challenges, and women who are visibly Muslim or wearing a hijab tend to face certain challenges,” Tafadar said.
Less than 2% of lawyers in Britain become Queen’s Counsel, most practicing as barristers or advocates in Scotland. Meanwhile, becoming a Queen’s Counsel is a tough process in the UK since the lawyers usually need to have at least 15 years of experience for the application.
The UK’s first hijab-wearing criminal barrister said while she is celebrating ‘taking silk’ – a term for being appointed QC – the struggle other hijab-wearing women are facing across Europe at the same time is ‘sad’. She said: ‘There are women across Europe and particularly in France who are facing discrimination because they wear the hijab.
‘France wants to impose various forms of hijab bans and that amounts to sex discrimination, race discrimination and religious discrimination. ‘It’s sad on a day like this and I’m celebrating taking silk wearing the hijab that others across Europe are denied those opportunities that I’ve had.’
