Christian women are wearing hijabs in solidarity with Muslims during Ramadan

Non-Muslim women across the world are wearing the hijab for 30 days as part of the Ramadan Hijab challenge.

The initiative was created by the World Hijab Day organisation, and encourages non-Muslim women to don a head scarf and fast for the Holy Month of Ramadan.

Nazna Khan, the founder, told Aljazeera:

This event is for those who want to experience the hijab for more than just one day in order to better understand what Muslim women go through on a daily basis.

Eleven-year-old Grace Lloyd has chosen to wear a black hijab to her school in Doha.

Lloyd, who is not a Muslim, says she “feels very strongly” about it, and plans on wearing it the entire month.

Her mum Ellie added that she will “change their wardrobes” to be in line with the modesty the hijab requires.

They also set up a GoFundMe page to raise money for the World Hijab Day organisation, and write:

The intention is to help fight Islamaphobia worldwide and make this world a more accepting and peaceful place to live in.

Ramadan is an important month in the Islamic calendar so what better time to show my support to my hijabi sisters worldwide. As a Christian I feel it is important for all faiths to support each other in their beliefs and their spiritual journey without prejudice.

I shall wear my hijab every day through Ramadan with pride, knowing that I am showing the world that we don't have to be separated by faith and that to experience part of someone else's faith gives us a better understanding and respect for others as well as an opportunity to learn for ourselves what it is like to 'walk in another person's shoes'.

Mormon Christian Kayla Hajji is also wearing the hijab – and she is observing the fast during Ramadan:

There is such beauty in coming together as a community of believers to fast that is indescribable unless you participate.

Discrimination against Muslims has increased over the past few years, with Muslim women who wear hijab often receiving much of the abuse.

According to statistics of Tell MAMA, which monitors Islamophobia in the UK, of the 765 victims and 874 perpetrators identified, Muslim women made up 56 per cent of victims.

Women were more likely to be attacked or abused if they wore Islamic clothing, and over a third of victims were visibly Muslim women.

Former communities minister and chair of Tell MAMA, Shahid Malik, told The Independent:

When women feel compelled to modify their looks or clothing to remain safe on our streets, then we are well on the road to sleep-walking into a two-tier society where Muslim Britons are second class citizens in their own country.

We now need government, social media companies, schools, religious organisations and ordinary citizens to stand up and stand together to protect British values, British freedoms and our way of life.

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