CWOI Petitions the Knesset

On March 25, 2020, the Council of Women’s Organizations in Israel – ICJW’s Israel affiliate – petitioned the Knesset  about the lack of leadership of the country, due to failed coalition negotiations, and about the absence of women from the temporary government committees.

Oshrit Setbon, Chair of the CWOI, has written to the leaders of all of Israel’s political factions, to demanding an increased role for women in all Knesset committees. Since the 20th Knesset was dissolved and three elections have taken place, the percentage of women MKs has fallen. There are now only 29 women MKs out of 120 (24%).

 While negotiations are continuing to form a government, the country is being run by six Acting Committees which are all led by men – none of the chairs of these important committees are women. We believe that this is a bad model for the government of the country, particularly at a time when crucial decisions being made in an environment of uncertainty for everyone.

The letter was signed by 35 chairs and representatives of Israel’s major womens organizations – Emunah, Naamat, WIZO, Hadassah, Bnai Brit, Soroptomist, and the Association of University Women – and past chairs of the Council of Women’s Organizations and prominent members of ICJW including Gila Oshrat, Aviva Kohlman, and Leah Aharonov.

Click here to download the letter in Ivrit.