The first event of the Young Women’s Parliament in 2011 (and the third since its beginning in June 2010), took place in the Knesset in March, under the auspices of MP Orit Zuaretz. About 100 girls participated. They came from: Bat Yam, Kfar Saba, Givayayim, Kfar Kara, Lev Hasharon. The aims of the event were to provide the girls with some information about the legislation process, to offer them a preliminary experience with initiating a law proposal and to raise awareness of their ability to influence the political reality that touches their lives.
During the girls’ visit in the Knesset they saw how a parliamentarian committee works, they met with women MPs and Parliamentarian assistants and watched the debates in the plenary.
These are bill proposals brought up by girls from different groups of Young Women Parliament:
Bat Yam YWP Bill Proposal (Instructor: Rinat Gabbay)
School atmosphere allows sexual remarks to be directed at girls as a “joke”, when in fact these remarks are offensive. During our Na’ara festival, we have learned our behavior is influenced by society, and that it can be changed through education. Our group calls for members of parliament, for gender advisors in local authorities, for education officials in municipalities and for school principals, to ensure the assimilation of gender equality and sexual misconduct prevention educational programs, as part of the schools’ curriculum.
The regulation suggested emphasize the importance of:
- Boys’ decent behavior towards girls
- Self defence for girls as a part of the physical education program
- Encouraging girls’ assertiveness
- Prioritizing these programs over others.
Kfar Saba NEMESH (Girls Leading Change) Bill Proposal (Instructor: Rachel Levi Hertz)
The objective of the proposal is to introduce a multi-year gender program into the educational system, including issues of leadership, self-image, self-identifying tools, protection against sexual or physical abuse, gendered perceptions and stereotypes, intergender relations, etc.
Preschool and elementary school teachers would be trained on gender social structure and stereotypes. The program would be taught from kindergarten through high school, according to age and cognitive level. It would be focused on positive content, encouraging new gender perceptions to empower self-confidence, creating a new language for a beneficial equal society from an early age. These would allow us to develop a true democratic society, based on values of genuine equality, regardless of sex, race or gender.