Israel to Join UN Women – UN Entity for Gender Equality, Women's Rights

Jan. 15, 2011 - PRLog -- Jerusalem, Israel ---- January 15, 2011 ...... Part of the above was communicated by the Israel Prime Minister’s Media Adviser and the Israel Government Press Office to the Israel News Agency.

The Israel Cabinet will approve Israel's accession to UN Women, the United Nations Entity for Gender Equality and the Empowerment of Women.
The Prime Minister's Office stated that the Cabinet is expected to allocate NIS 3 million in UN membership dues.

The initiative to join UN Women is the effort of the Israel Deputy Minister for the Advancement of Women, Young People and Students Gila Gamliel. A Prime Minister's Office representative will chair a professional steering committee that will set policy regarding Israel's participation in the organization.

Israel Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu notes that he ascribes utmost importance to Israel's involvement in an organization that advances the status of women's rights in the world.

"Since its establishment, the State of Israel has been known as a pioneer in the field of advancing human rights and within that context women's rights status. Israel has a proven record in the area of gender equality. Israel's influence in a prominent international body in the field is necessary because the issue of women's status is a main policy issue for us and because Israel's contribution to such a body from its inception could be considerable for the countries of the world."

Much attention has been focused on alleged Israel human rights violations in the West Bank and Gaza, the result of professional spin, public relations work paid by oil rich Islamic Jihadist organizatons. At the same time, the popular media has chosen to virtually ignore violations of fundamental human rights that take place daily in almost every Arab country.

According to annual reports compiled by the US State Department, most of the Arab states are ruled by oppressive, dictatorial regimes, which deny their citizens basic freedoms of political expression, speech, press and due process. The Arab Human Development Report published by a group of Arab researchers from the UN Development Program concluded that out of the seven regions of the world, Arab countries had the lowest freedom score. They also had the lowest ranking for "voice and accountability," a measure of various aspects of the political process, civil liberties, political rights and independence of the media.

Furthermore, laws that restrict women's rights remain in force in almost all Arab countries. In Syria, a husband can prevent his wife from leaving the country. In Egypt, Iraq, Libya, Jordan, Morocco, Oman and Yemen, married women must have their husbands' written permission to travel abroad, and they may be prevented from doing so for any reason. In Saudi Arabia, women must obtain written permission from their closest male relative to leave the country or travel on public transportation between different parts of the kingdom.

According to the UN, "utilization of Arab women's capabilities through political and economic participation remains the lowest in the world in quantitative terms. In some countries with elected national assemblies, women are still denied the right to vote or hold office. And one in ever two Arab women can neither read nor write."

In a Saudi Shari'a court, the testimony of one man equals that of two women. In Kuwait, the male population is allowed to vote, while women are still disenfranchised. Egypt, Morocco, Jordan and Saudi Arabia all have laws stating that a woman's inheritance must be less than that of her male siblings (usually about half the size). Moroccan law excuses the murder or injury of a wife who is caught in the act of committing adultery; yet women are punished for harming their husbands under the same circumstances.

Wife beating is a relatively common practice in Arab countries, and abused women have little recourse. As the US State Department has noted regarding Jordan (and most of the Arab world): "Wife beating is technically grounds for divorce, but the husband may seek to demonstrate that he has authority from the Koran to correct an irreligious or disobedient wife by striking her."

In Saudi Arabia, restrictions against women are among the most extreme in the Arab world. Saudi women may not marry non-Saudis without government permission (which is rarely given); are forbidden to drive motor vehicles or bicycles; may not use public facilities when men are present; and are forced to sit in the backs of public buses, segregated from men.

Israel Deputy Minister Gamliel stated: "It is important that Israel join UN Women's Executive Board as soon as possible. Such membership will allow us to block attempts to delegitimize Israel and enable us to stress our country's positive, democratic aspects in the international arena. One of the State of Israel's main interests in the UN is to advance a positive agenda regarding the country's activities. Israel is among the world's leaders in advancing the status of women, therefore, it would be proper to stress this fact in order to improve its international standing. I am pleased that Prime Minister Netanyahu and the various ministries recognize the importance of the issue and have joined the effort to raise the necessary funds."

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