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Baghdad adopts Abaya as an official uniform

Gashtyar Akram

Jun. 03, 2025 • 2 min read
Image of Baghdad adopts Abaya as an official uniform An Iraqi lady in an Abaya. File photo: AFP

Authorities claim the move aims to promote modesty and respect

 

ERBIL, Kurdistan Region of Iraq – Baghdad's provincial council on Tuesday decided to adopt the “Zainabiya Abaya” as an official uniform for women in the Iraqi capital.

 

Huda Jalil al-Abouda, head of the environment committee at the Baghdad provincial council, in a statement announced that the council has decided to adopt the Zainabiya Abaya as an official uniform in the capital, adding that the move aims to “promote respect, dignity, and modesty.”


In a clarification later in the day, Abouda said the decision "does not affect the freedom of non-veiled women in the capital," adding, "With this decision, women will be considered committed to their official uniform within their Islamic identity and culture."

 

The Fallujah mayor’s office also issued a directive on Tuesday, banning “Bermuda shorts” in public places.

 

The decision is based on an appeal from local leaders, Fallujah mayor Faisal Khalid told The New Region. Bermuda shorts are inconsistent with the values of Fallujah, which is known as “the city of mosques,” according to Khalid, who added that violators to the new dress code “will be held accountable.”

 

Tuesday’s decisions come less than two months after authorities in Iraq’s Wasit province issued a set of measures, banning people from wearing what they described as “inappropriate clothing” in public places, specifically mentioning shorts in the statement.

 

Wasit police explained in a statement later, saying that the decision was taken after appeals "from a large number of dignitaries, sheikhs, notables, and intellectuals in the province," in addition to demands Wasit families, who have expressed concern over inconsistent behavior with “the society's well-known commitment to religious values and authentic societal norms.”

 

Similar grounds were provided for Tuesday’s move.

 

The decisions come as Iraq embraces itself for the summer season, where temperatures usually reach high 40s to low 50s in Celsius degrees in the some parts of the country.

 

CORRECTION: The title of this article initially read "Iraq cracks down on dress code regulations in Baghdad, Fallujah," and suggested that the wearing of the Abaya would be enforced, but has since been updated after Abouda's clarification.

 

Updated at: 11:54pm

 

 

Profile picture of Gashtyar Akram
Author Gashtyar Akram

Gashtyar Akram is an Erbil-based journalist covering the Middle East, particularly Iraq and Turkey, with special focus on political and social issues.

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