The province of Flemish Brabant has been accused of discrimination for banning full-body swimsuits at the Halve Maan provincial domain in Diest, according to a ruling by the Flemish Human Rights Institute on Monday.
In July 2023, a community centre organised an outing for youngsters aged 11 to 15 to the Halve Maan recreation complex, which includes areas for swimming.
One of the teenage girls wearing a burkini was asked to leave the pool because provincial regulations stipulate that swimsuits must not extend beyond the knee and elbow. A burkini is a type of swimsuit for women which covers the whole body except the face, the hands, and the feet.
Despite being , the girl returned to the swimming area as the group disagreed with the regulations. They were forced to cut short their visit.
A few days later, the children’s educator received a letter from the police stating he would be banned from the leisure area until the end of 2024.
He was accused of disturbing public order, refusing to follow security personnel instructions, and ignoring the internal rules. Following the incident, the educator reported the situation to the Flemish Human Rights Institute.
The institute judged that the province did not provide sufficient evidence to support its claim of hygiene and safety concerns. It deemed the actions discriminatory against the teenager, the community centre, and the educator.
The province of Flemish Brabant has been urged to amend its regulations to allow full-body swimsuits.
