Netherlands: Veiled woman in gov't ads

Netherlands: Veiled woman in gov't ads

The government is using a veiled Muslim woman to attract new civil servants. The slogan "working for the government, if you think ahead' appears under the barely visible model.


The VVD asked Minister Ter Horst (Internal Affairs) for clarifications. VVD parliamentarian De Krom says that the campaign suggest that the government wants more women with face covering clothing. In the ad the Muslim woman is seen opposite an alternative girl with lip-piercing. In the campaign the government brings diverse contrasts as puzzle pieces, such as a football fan vs. a hooligan, and a building site vs. greenery. The VVD understand the background of the campaign, but thinks a veiled Muslim woman brings up the wrong associations.

De Krom says that this is a recruiting campaign aimed to interest young adults in working for the government. Face-covering clothing is something that the government wants out of the public domain and certainly out of the government itself.

The Ministry of Internal Affairs says that the campaign is meant to raise the issues facing the government. "This shows that there are differences in culture of young Dutch, with which as government you have to deal with,' according to a spokesperson.

The campaign will appear on billboards in the next two weeks.

Source: Telegraaf (Dutch)

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