Israel, despite its contradictions, has always been an oasis of openness and progress in Middle East. However, the growing religious radicalization of a part of its population is gradually having consequences for everyone. Of course, the first to pay are women: there are some neighborhoods where a woman only can enter if she’s respecting a rigorous dress code.
But it's even more surprising that this conservatism is slowly affecting the institutions of an advanced democracy: a week ago the Israeli Parliament has decided to apply some obsolete dress code rules and now is forcing female employees to wear skirts that cover at least 5 cm above the knee. Now, any woman working in the Israeli Parliament must undergo a security review by guards to ensure that her skirt meets the appropriate measures. If not, she will be sent back to her home.
We can not allow countries where women have already gained considerable rights through a long struggle begin to take steps back. Men and women from around the world must get together to ask the Israeli parliament to respect the freedom of their female workers to dress as they like given a basic framework of respect. Sign this petition now and support female employees of the Israeli parliament who are being threatened to dress as they wish.
