Saudi schoolgirl takes on tech world to request hijab emoji

The proposed emoji representing a hijab created by Aphelandra Messer. Courtesy Aphelandra Messer

A Saudi schoolgirl is taking on the tech world, by requesting an emoji be created representing a hijab.

Unable to find an appropriate symbol when chatting with her friends, 15 year old Rayouf Alhumedhi, has written to Unicode Consortium, the body that approves new emoji’s, requesting one be created.

“Roughly 550 million Muslim women on this earth pride themselves on wearing the hijab,” the proposal is quoted as saying “With this enormous number of people, not a single space on the keyboard is reserved for them, The woman in the headscarf would be a terrific addition to the mosque and Islam symbol emoji, as the hijab is one of the most globally recognised iconic representations of Islam.”

Aided in her quest by the backing of both Reddit co-founder Alexis Ohanian, and Unicode themselves — who assisted Alhumedhi in drafting the seven page request, approval could be given as early as November, with the update released in 2017.