Maruxa: Mohamed, my neighbour covers her hair with a veil when she comes to the door but not when she's indoors. She doesn't ever take it off when she's outside. How come?

Mohamed: Because Islam believes that a woman should be judged by her character and actions rather than by her looks or physical features, which is not always true here in Spain, if you ask me. And the thing is, wearing the veil (called a Hijab or Chador), doesn't stop a woman from living a full life and playing an active role in things. It really is different to what many people in Europe think. Another thing, by the way, in Arabic countries many women wear the veil because it's just traditional, they don't necessarily think a whole lot about it. Others wear it because they're really religious.

Edurne: So these women mix with men?

Mohamed: Of course they can. Women can study and work with men, but they are supposed to be respected and noticed for their brains, faith and personality, not for their beauty.

Maruxa: It's funny, because I had heard that women who wear the veil don't have any rights, that they're oppressed by men and everything...... that they can't really join in and be part of society.

Mohamed: Many Muslim women are really oppressed, that is a reality, and there are campaigns to get them the same rights as men. But to assume that wearing the veil means you're being oppressed is not right. Sure, there are some who are, but there are women oppressed all over the place, in European countries too!

Edurne: Yes, I suppose we shouldn't judge others' cultures and traditions from our own. Is not easy because we like what we know, what we learned in our own little world, but I suppose we have to respect others' ways of doing things so long as they don't interfere with human rights.

Maruxa: Yeah, me too.