Many Internet users have pointed out the paradox of illustrating a call for peace and female emancipation with a symbol of confinement.

Simple clumsiness or active promotion of political Islam? The UN 's latest campaign is provoking strong reactions on social media. On Monday, October 20, the UN's women's rights branch published a photograph of Sudanese women posing in colorful niqabs . The photo is accompanied by an evocative slogan: "When women lead, peace comes . "

"As active conflicts reach their highest level since 1946, the role of women in peacebuilding is more important than ever," the association states in an annotation to the publication . "Alongside women on the ground, UN Women values women's leadership to achieve a peaceful world." The photographs of these women come directly from the UN website . One of them, Amna Idres Musa Mahamod, heads the Al-Wifag Women's Association in Toker, Sudan. The international organization describes her as an activist for "gender equality" and "economic rights of women in rural areas . "

Salvo of criticism against the UN

On X, the post gained momentum, reaching more than 2 million views as of Tuesday. Many Internet users pointed out the paradox of illustrating a call for peace and female emancipation with a symbol of confinement. "The UN, this thing that illustrates the emancipation of women with the uniform imposed by the most misogynistic regimes on the planet," castigated essayist and columnist Ferghane Azihari .

A poster that also left Caroline Fourest , editor of Franc-Tireur and known for her fight against religious fundamentalism, speechless. "This poster...making the niqab the symbol of female leadership, once again, nothing is going well at the UN ," she wrote, dejected. For her part, Sophia Aram , comedian and columnist, prefers rhetorical questioning: "The UN's positions are the result of an internal political power struggle. In your opinion, who won? "

Canadian lawyer Hillel C. Neuer, a specialist in public international law, also deplored the UN's choice to depict a "woman subject to Sharia law . " "Yes, we know that (the photograph) is linked to a UN project in Sudan aimed at empowering women. But your publication contributes to normalizing the oppression of women, contrary to your stated objectives."

“Freedom is relegated behind the veil”

For Céline Imart , vice-president of the Republicans, "freedom is relegated behind the veil . " "Even Manon Aubry would not have done better ," she mocked, adding that France should "seriously review its financial contribution to the UN . "

Contacted, UN Women has not yet responded. However, this would not be the first time that the UN has supported the freedom to wear the full veil. In October 2018, the UN Human Rights Committee condemned France for fining two women who wore the niqab. The Committee ruled that "the ban on the niqab violates freedom of religion and human rights . "