6

Thema 6	Globalisierung, Migration und Zukunft der Arbeit
Workshop  6.2	"From Being Busy to Being Gainfully Employed -  An approach to women's economic distress in Israel"

Freitag, 09.09.2005,  14.45-16.30 h
Kol Ha Isha, The Jerusalem Women Center, Israel

  | Speakers

• Yudith Oppenheimer, Kol Ha Isha, Israel
• Yael Arami, Kol Ha Isha, Israel

Kol Ha-Isha- The Jerusalem Women’s Center addresses the social and economic inequality of women in Israeli society by seeking to implement a multicultural feminist model of social change, which has been developed over the ten years since the founding of the organization. Our ultimate goal is to promote a sustainable civil society that works towards realizing the human rights of women, as recognized by the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination Against Women (CEDAW), laying the basis for social justice and peace. 

Kol Ha-Isha is alarmed by the growing intensification of social and economic distress in Israel’s which, as we believe, stems from the prevailing reality of militarism, power-oriented politics, occupation and war as well as the government’s growing commitment to neo-liberal economic policies. This reality leads to the sacrifice of crucial issues of social justice, the just distribution of power and resources, the rights of minorities and underprivileged strata, and ultimately hampers the democratic fabric of the society. Under these circumstances women are disproportionately affected by the erosion of social rights and services, the rise of unemployment and the increased dependence on exploitative job market, and the escalation of violence in the society both within and outside the family.

Kol Ha-Isha’s mission is to develop and promote a feminist multicultural model of social change, addressing social inequality, economic distress, power politics, intolerance and discrimination – and in particular, how these affect women. Kol Ha-Isha is dedicated to empowering women from different, often marginalized socio-economic and ethnic backgrounds, religious affiliations, nationalities and sexual orientations. Together, as equal, active partners and embracing our differences, we create programs that empower women to socially, culturally, economically and politically improve their lives and to take on leadership positions.

In the current situation of a rapid deterioration of women’s economic and social circumstances in Israel– Kol Ha-Isha put women’s economic rights – the human right to live in dignity - at the top of our agenda and developed a broad approach to work towards women’s economic rights.

The workshop will examine the economic situation of women in Israel – in the shadow of unemployment, underemployment, subsistence wages and drastic cuts in the safety net of social benefits. The workshop will then look at various programs and alternative grassroots initiatives, which aim to address women's economic distress in Israel.

In particular, the workshop will focus on Kol Ha-Isha's Comprehensive Program for the Economic Empowerment of Women which offers a framework of various services and active intervention both in the work force and in micro entrepreneurship aim to provide women with the skills and know-how to re-enter the job market, to demand their social rights, to start a micro business of their own, to reach new customers and markets, and to promote women’s leadership and solidarity within their own communities.

The workshop will be based both on a structured presentation and on open discussion and will bring several case studies.

We would like to take this opportunity to thank The Heinrich Boell Foundation for its ongoing friendship and support in Kol ha-Isha.

   | Kontakt

Yudith Oppenheimer, Isha le Isha, Haifa, Israel yudito@netvision.net.il 

Aktualisiert: 08.09.2005, hbr