Peru moves to ban nail polish, short skirts in schools

LIMA: Peruvian rights groups on Tuesday criticised a government plan to ban girls from wearing short skirts or nail polish at school and prohibit boys from having long hair.

During a visit to a school on the outskirts of Lima, right-wing President Keiko Fujimori, who was elected in July on a law-and-order platform, said: "Order should not only reign in the streets, it must also return to our schools, our classrooms."

She outlined a raft of measures, ranging from permanently expelling "the most unruly students" from the education system to banning make-up and hair dye, as well as long hair on boys.

Education Minister Jose Chang said the government would also ban nail varnish and address the issue of "the appropriate length for school (uniform) skirts".

The pair also announced plans to ban mobile phone use without a teacher's approval.

Fujimori presented the proposals as part of a plan to tackle bullying, sexual harassment and violence in the classroom.

But two feminist NGOs, the Manuela Ramos Movement and the Flora Tristan Peruvian Women's Centre, rejected that argument.

"Controlling aspects such as hair or makeup does not prevent sexual assault or other forms of school violence," they said.

The National Human Rights Coordinator denounced the restrictions as "populist and authoritarian".

The government will submit the proposals to public consultation before adopting them.