World Bulletin/News Desk

Growing oppression of Muslims in general, and particularly women in Australia brought a social media campaign in its wake.

The aim of the campaign “to encourage women to take a photo of themselves wearing a head scarf to show support for Muslim women” and give rise to thought religious freedom.

The campaign, Women in Solidarity with Hijabs (WISH) , began ten days ago and has already attracted almost 18,000 “likes” in Facebook, reported ABC, in its website.

Mariam Veiszadeh, a lawyer who started to campaign, says that everybody, especially Autralian Muslim women appreciate the campaign and happy with the responses.

"It's bringing it back to basics and saying we have a lot more in common than we have differences." she said.

It's also said that during the nine days of campaign about 100 images have been shared as part of it and some known figures, including a television reporter, are joining the compaign.

About 100 images have been shared as part of the campaign, including one by television presenter, Jessica Rowe.

Veiszade says that Australia's Prime Minister Tony Abbott's “ill-timed” statements has broad impact on the social media campaign, Women in Solidarity with Hijabs. "The timing of this debate is incredibly irresponsible," she said.

"For our Prime Minister, Tony Abbott, to give credibility to the likes of Jacqui Lambie and Cory Bernardi at a time when community tensions are already heightened is incredibly irresponsible." she added.

A few days ago Prime Minister Tony Abbott had said that he finds the garment confronting and wished it was not worn, bu the government could not tell the people how to dress.

This happened just a few days after Mr Abbott had launched another oppressive measures directed Australian Muslims, particularly Muslim men.

Ms Veiszadeh said the social media campaign was particularly important because of ongoing debate on Muslim women's cltohing, such as burka or niqab.

"Australian Muslim women are already bearing the brunt of Islamaphobia and I suspect the incidents will only increase when the debate is hotting up about the burka," Ms Veiszadeh said.

Depending on recent devolopments in Australia's Parliament introduced also some new security rules, which ban women with facial coverings from sitting in public places.

CRITICISMS OF THE WISH CAMPAIGN

Aicha Marhfour, a freelance journalist from Melbourne, said media attention should be focused on Muslim women actually being attacked or threatened.”

Aicha Marhfour, a freelance journalist says “It's all very well to wear the hijab for a day or to stand with your Muslim friends but really what you're doing is you're taking a nice photo ... But you're going to take off that scarf and you're going to move back into your life, which is free from the threats and intimidation that Muslim women regularly do face.”

Although the campaign attracted broad attention, there has been some concern about that “the solidarity campaign could draw attention away from the real issue.”

"One of the key issues that I had and I think a lot of people also shared is that they're well meaning, but I think it's more important to hear from Muslims as opposed to people trying to feel our pain," she said.

Ms Marhfour also thinks that the campaign is nothing but a type of cultural tourism. "It's all very well to wear the hijab for a day or to stand with your Muslim friends but really what you're doing is you're taking a nice photo, you're sharing a good intention," she said.

"But you're going to take off that scarf and you're going to move back into your life, which is free from the threats and intimidation that Muslim women regularly do face." she added one Australia's ABC reports.