The IWN is a not-for-profit organization comprised of women who are united in their determination to improve the status of women in Israel, regardless of political affiliation, religious outlook or ethnic origin. IWN's mission, to achieve equality of opportunity and reward for all Israeli women, is an integral element in transforming Israel into a just and productive society for all. 

 

Established in 1984, the IWN was the first organization in Israel dedicated to promoting women's rights and equality. Since its beginnings, the IWN has scored many successes, including: initiating laws such as the Sexual Harassment Prevention Law of 1998, and the 2005 law establishing a Commission for Equal Employment Opportunities; precedent-setting law suits fighting discrimination in the workplace; passage of an amendment to the Family Courts Law, thereby enabling Muslim and Christian women to settle matters of maintenance and custody in civil courts; efforts to help women who have been refused divorce [agunot]; helping victims of sex trafficking, and many more. This past year, the IWN was one of three Israeli organizations to be granted UN affiliation status. 

 

The Israel Women's Network is Israel's foremost non-profit voluntary body dedicated to women's equality and rights. Although aiming to be egalitarian, Israeli society has many built-in obstacles that women must overcome in order to fulfill themselves as individuals, and be able to fully participate and contribute to society. 

 

In order to address women's needs and help them overcome these obstacles, the IWN has developed a multi-faceted approach. Over the years, it has established and continues to operate:

 

 Ø         Empowerment and Leadership Training – particularly for adolescents, and potential community activists. IWN works to encourage all women to raise their status in Israeli society and over the years has conducted many leadership and empowerment courses preparing women to assume positions of public leadership.

 Ø         The Eshet Chayil Project – assisting uneducated women to enter the workforce; The Eshet Chayil project offers a way for long term unemployed women to learn skills that will help maximize their natural attributes and find fulfilling and rewarding employment. Eshet Chayil aims to achieve equality of opportunity and reward for women of all ethnic, religious and socio-economic backgrounds.

 Ø         A Resource Center, containing over 2,000 volumes, articles, periodicals, newsletters and newspaper clippings, and a unique collection of over 1,500 documents, including government documents, annual reports and publications of other organizations, pamphlets, and more.

 

The IWN takes a broad view of issues important to women in Israeli society, but also addresses specific communities and needs, for example, Ethiopian immigrants, women refused divorce [Agunot]; victims of international sex trafficking, and many others. IWN has been able to amplify its impact on these matters through cooperation with other organizations. 

 

Now facing new challenges and expanding the scope of its activities, the IWN is seeking an initial grant of $30,000 to extend its impact by upgrading its services, computerizing its operations and training its staff in the technological and managerial skills necessary to continue to lead the efforts for empowering women in Israeli society. An additional $5,000 per year for the next five years is requested to maintain and upgrade the new systems. 

 

 

The Israel Women's Network was established in 1984 by a group of women professionals, who volunteered their time and expertise in a variety of fields to improve the status of women and promote their equality in Israeli society. 

 

Over the years, the IWN has become the foremost Israeli non-profit organization in this field, with an impressive record of achievements. However, the IWN cannot rest on its laurels. As the recent parliamentary elections have shown, female representation is decreasing rather than increasing, and Israeli society is becoming more sectarian. Women must be fairly represented in the corridors of power; their voices on the issues facing society must be heard. 

 

In the last decade, Israel has been cited by international bodies as a country which traffics in women; many women are refused divorces, and remain in limbo for years, sometimes decades; reports of violence against adolescent girls and women have steadily increased; many women, particularly those in the periphery and Ethiopians, have been unemployed for years, and lack the skills necessary to enter the workforce of the 21^st century; Arab women are doubly discriminated against, as members of both national and gender minorities. Moreover, while some laws are in place, many are only partially enforced.

 

To meet these challenges, the Israel Women's Network is actively recruiting new members, advocating for women's rights and equality in the Knesset halls, educating key decision-makers and the general public, while striving to keep pace with the technological innovations that will enhance its impact.

In 1988, the IWN established a Resource Center on the status of women. Originally intended to serve the IWN's staff, this has rapidly developed into an important resource for the wider public.

 

 

The Israel Women’s Network

Address: 9 Habonim St. P.O. Box 3348, Ramat Gan 52136, Israel

Telephone: 972-3-6123990 fax: 972-3-6123991