The Council of Women’s Organizations in Israel (CWOI) has played a key role in securing the establishment of a national authority dedicated to the eradication of domestic violence. Announcing this new authority at a Knesset committee meeting on November 23, 2020, to mark the International Day for the Elimination of Violence against Women, Israel’s Prime Minister, Benjamin Netanyahu said: “There is a series of actions that we must take in the battle against this phenomenon, and every step is crucial: education, prevention, punishment and enforcement.”

Exactly one year ago, Oshrit Setbon, Chair of the CWOI, organized a high-profile event at the Knesset to launch their campaign against gender-based violence. It was attended by politicians from across the political spectrum and representatives of 15 Israeli women’s organizations. Today’s announcement by the Prime Minister shows the successful impact of this campaign in bringing the issue of domestic violence to the forefront of the national political agenda, against the background of the reported increase in the incidence of domestic violence during the COVID pandemic. The authority will be known as the “State Authority for the Prevention of Domestic Violence”.

Representing all of Israel’s women’s organizations at today’s meeting, the CWOI was singled out for thanks by the Prime Minister for its role in leading the campaign. Oshrit Setbon welcomed the announcement of the new authority, saying “We hope that this will bring an end to the suffering of many women in Israel who are victims of domestic violence.”

Pictured (l to r): Oshrit Setbon;  Speaker of the Knesset MK Yariv Levin; Minister for Community Empowerment and Advancement Orly Levy Abekasis; MK Osnat Mark; Mrs. Sarah Netanyahu; and Prime Minister  Binyamin Netanyahu.