A PROJECT embracing the use of head covering as a “shared heritage” has culminated with an illustrated book which is due to be launched later this month.

The Daughters of Eve project led by Nuzhat Ali, was funded through the National Lottery and brought together women from the Abrahamic faiths to share their stories and experiences of head coverings and other aspects of life from their respective faith groups.

Bana Gora, chief executive of Bradford Muslim Women’s Council said the project helped to challenge the perception that head covering was unique to Islam.

She said: “The hijab, as a part of the Muslim faith, has been heavily politicised over recent years, not only in the UK, but across Europe.

“Questions around whether the wearing of religious symbols in public should be allowed and the banning of the hijab in certain places led us at the Muslim Women’s Council to think about how we could reclaim the narrative from the media and the politicians.

“It was also important to us that the perception that head covering was solely an Islamic tradition was challenged and the shared heritage of head coverings was celebrated in order to help people understand and question their attitudes towards it.

“In order to achieve this we brought together women from the Judaic, Christian and Muslim faith backgrounds.

“The book is a culmination of their stories and conversations.

“We feel that the women not only reclaimed the narrative, but have taken ownership and redefined it.

“It’s not just a piece of cloth.”

Ms Gora said the project was an enjoyable voyage of discovery with the reasons for women covering their hair far more diverse and thought-out that first understood.

“For much of the time it is personal choice. I choose not to wear one because it doesn’t suit me. Even my mother tells me so,” she added.

“Although the conversations and interviews recorded in this book started off about head coverings, it was perhaps inevitable that discussions would go on to the shared struggles of women within their own faith and within wider society.

“MWC’s aim was to enable women to realise the shared common heritage that is not currently commonly realised: the public perception of head coverings is the Islamic Hijab, we wanted other faiths to learn of their own heritage of head coverings as well as the common shared heritage, and through their learning of the common heritage, develop better interfaith and community relations.

“Head covering and face covering may signal a particular identity of the wearer.

“Such an identity may be based on religious affiliation, but also different types of resistance: to sexual objectification, secular values, or religious and ethnic discrimination.

“Importantly, the discussed literature highlights the fact that very often, women actively choose to cover.

“This is not surprising when we consider that in many historical contexts, head covering was seen as a sign of high status, whether in economic or spiritual sense.”

The book Daughters of Eve is priced at £15.99 and is available through the Muslim Women’s Council.

It is hoped that the book will also be available in book stores at a later stage.

The launch will take place at the National Media Museum on Tuesday, November 29, from 5pm.

Contact MWC for reservation details.