On International Women’s Day 2026, the annual activity report of the Authority for the Advancement of Women reveals that under the leadership of the Ministry for Social Equality and the Advancement of Women’s Status, the State of Israel is prioritizing women’s leadership, personal resilience, and employment as a national imperative. Merav Stern, Director of the Authority for the Advancement of Women’s Status: “Investing in women is investing in the resilience of us all.”
In these times of struggle and change, International Women’s Day, which falls today, finds the women of Israel at a historic juncture. After two years in which women formed the backbone of both the home front and the front lines, a report by the Authority for the Advancement of Women’s Status at the Ministry for Social Equality and the Advancement of Women’s Status shows that behind the statistics lies a clear worldview, led by Minister May Golan, to transform the Ministry into an executive body that touches every woman in Israel, from the major cities to the confrontation line settlements. “Women are not just affected by the crisis reality – they are the central partners in building resilience and leading growth processes,” the report states in its introduction.
The Minister for Social Equality and the Advancement of Women’s Status, May Golan, stated: “The policy I am leading is clear: to strengthen the status of women in Israel in practice – in leadership, personal security, community, and employment. I am working to provide women in Israel with the tools to lead, innovate, and succeed – from establishing women’s leadership spaces in local authorities, through promoting programs to prevent violence and increase personal security among women, leading workshops for economic and employment strengthening and empowerment of women, to extensive staff work to reduce gaps and promote opportunities in the labor market.” The Minister added: “I am proud of the dedicated team of the Authority for the Advancement of Women’s Status, led by the dear CEO, Merav Stern, under my Ministry, which leads this work day by day. We will continue to work in the field for the sake of all women in Israel – and for the prosperity and success of Israeli society as a whole.”
The Director of the Authority, Merav Stern, summarizes: “Investing in women is investing in the resilience of us all.” Over the past year, women in Israel have been the backbone of the home front and the front lines, and the report points to a series of activities initiated by the Authority for the Advancement of Women’s Status aimed at strengthening women’s status in all areas. Among the outstanding achievements of the past year in the field of leadership is the ‘Mechuvarot’ program, which establishes women’s leadership spaces in 90 local authorities across the country (across both program rounds combined). This includes, beyond the physical space, the development of a strategic plan for equal opportunities for the authority itself, the establishment of a women’s council, and training in smart economics, personal resilience, and leadership.
The awarding of ‘Appreciation Awards’ by the Minister for Social Equality and the Advancement of Women’s Status in 8 different categories to women and organizations that demonstrated groundbreaking leadership, as public recognition for their contribution to Israeli society and as a source of inspiration for additional girls and women. In the area of personal security, the Authority is extensively involved in raising awareness and providing tools for prevention through programs to prevent violence against women in approximately 150 local authorities, in cooperation with the Ministry of Welfare and Community Security and in cooperation with the Resilience Administration. For the first time, a groundbreaking “Gender Violence Dashboard” was established in cooperation with the Central Bureau of Statistics, an innovative tool that allows for the analysis of women’s needs and the formulation of data-based policy.
In the economic sphere, the Authority for the Advancement of Women’s Status promoted extensive staff work to examine the status of women in the labor market. An inter-ministerial committee for the promotion of equal opportunities was established, with the aim of defining national goals and courses of action, agreed upon by all relevant government ministries, in 3 core areas: reducing wage gaps between men and women, integrating women into decision-making positions, and promoting initiatives for work-life balance.
In addition, the Authority established an inter-ministerial forum to integrate a gender-sensitive approach into government decisions, based on the understanding that incorporating an equal perspective is a condition for more effective and accurate policy.
Looking ahead to 2026, the Ministry for Social Equality and the Advancement of Women’s Status continues to act with determination, aiming to ensure that every girl, young woman, and woman in Israel knows she has strong support, a supportive policy, and leadership that sees her. In these times, this investment is not just a social move; it is a move that will build resilience and prosperity for all of Israeli society.