National Security Council convenes committee for gender mainstreaming

The committee includes Arab and ultra-Orthodox representatives, as well as the head of Forum Dvorah that works to increase female representation in national security and foreign policy.

By EVE YOUNG
Updated: JUNE 22, 2021 23:47
NATIONAL SECURITY COUNCIL head Meir Ben-Shabbat attends a state audit committee meeting at the Knesset in 2018 (photo credit: HADAS PARUSH/FLASH90)
NATIONAL SECURITY COUNCIL head Meir Ben-Shabbat attends a state audit committee meeting at the Knesset in 2018
(photo credit: HADAS PARUSH/FLASH90)
The advisory committee to the National Security Council on gender mainstreaming in times of emergency convened for the first time this month, according to NGO Forum Dvorah.
The committee will make recommendations for policy and working methods that are formulated through a gender lens and will serve as guidelines for the council's recommendations during times of emergency.
Gender Mainstreaming includes assessing the impact of public policy on people of different genders. The committee was recently appointed by National Security Advisor Meir Ben-Shabbat to help contend with the different challenges that emergencies can create for women in all of Israel's sectors and in the spirit of the 2014 government resolution to promote gender equality and gender mainstreaming.
The committee, headed by Open University CEO Col. (res.) Ruth Shoham, is made up of 15 women and 6 men and includes representatives from civil society, academia, government and more.
The committee includes Arab and ultra-Orthodox representatives and will place importance on the needs of disabled and underprivileged people in decision-making processes during times of emergency, according to Forum Dvorah.
Forum Dvorah is a non-partisan, non-profit NGO that aims to increase female representation in key decision-making positions in national security and foreign policy, and the forum's Executive Director Tanyah Murkes is one of the committee members.
Murkes told The Jerusalem Post that the forum "welcomes the establishment of the official committee to the NSC on decision-making during emergencies through a gendered lens.
"We look forward to taking part in the important work of the committee to promote better policies in times in crisis. The Forum is a leading and unique NGO in Israel, established to promote gender equality in national security and foreign policy and is comprised of Israel’s top professionals in these fields. We applaud this historic opportunity."
The committee was "established with the understanding that diversity in opinions and expertise on issues relevant to women's lives, and in different communities during times of emergency, will lead to more accurate decisions; better cooperation and the sharing of relevant knowledge and experience," said Forum Dvorah in a Facebook post.
The National Security council was criticized during the early stages of the coronavirus pandemic for a lack of gender mainstreaming and extreme under-representation of women on a coronavirus take force appointed by them. Of the 31 people on the task-force, 29 were men and the two women on the team were research assistants and not among the team's experts.

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Women's organizations more female representation on the team, saying that without it the team would not appropriately address women's issues and the unique impacts of the pandemic on women.


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