"Qualified professionals are not being hired just because of their headscarves"

Sumayya Erdoğan Bayraktar, chairwoman of the Turkish Women and Democracy Foundation, drew attention to discrimination against women wearing the hijab during employment. She criticized restrictive policies in France and Northern Cyprus and called for the protection of religious freedom.

"In many countries, the hijab remains a barrier for women. Qualified professionals are not being hired simply because of their headscarf," she said.

According to statistics cited by Ms. Sumayya, employers are 65 percent less likely to accept resumes from women wearing hijabs than from women who wear revealing clothing. In addition, 30-40 percent of hijab-wearing employees face restrictions on career advancement.

Bayraktar noted that these situations negatively affect not only Muslim women, but also the development of society as a whole.

"When a woman is forced to choose between her religion and her profession, it is a great loss for society itself," she said.