To the Western mindset, the Burqa has been a source of mystery and intrigue. Many ask questions about this dress code, i.e. why some Muslim women wear this garment, why they cover their faces in the first place.
Burqa has consequently elicited mixed reactions; in some cases like in France, the matter goes far to impose a ban on Burqa and issue a specific law for it.
However, the Burqa continues to hold an important place in modern societies.

With this continuous controversy about Burqa, many people do not exactly know what Burqa is and what differentiates it from Niqab.
Here we are trying to answer these questions:
What is Burqa?
A Burqa is a loose cloak-like garment worn by some Muslim women. This type of veil and body covering conceals all of a woman's body including the eyes, which are covered with a mesh screen. It is very common in Afghanistan. The burqa is made of either light cotton or crepe and most often comes in black.
Niqab
A face veil worn by some Muslim women which may or may not leave the eyes uncovered. So, it just covers the face but most women who wear it usually covers their hands too.
(Source:http://www.onislam.net/english/famil...b.html?Society)


Niqab (Left) and Burqa (Right)
Why Choose to Cover the Face?
From the previous description it appears that there is no great difference between both Burqa and Niqab. Both of them lead to the covering of the woman's face which other people see as strange and even not acceptable.
Women who choose to wear burqa/niqab consider this as a way of protection, they feel preserved when they cover their faces and that they just reveal their beauty to their husbands.
(Read more about the Islamic stand on Burqa/Niqba)
And the most important question is still there, isn't it a part of a woman's right to choose what to wear? And don't such laws and bans violate the right of a woman as an individual who is free to choose and decide for herself in her most private issues like clothing?