Israel's Minister for Social Equality Gila Gamliel addressed the 60th session of the UN Commission on the Status of Women at the United Nations Headquarters in New York (14-24 March 2016). The session addressed Women's empowerment and its link to sustainable development, and the elimination and prevention of all forms of violence against women and girls. Israel is currently one of 45 member states of the Commission.

Ms. Chairwoman
Ladies and Gentlemen
Shalom and good morning.

I am delighted to be with you today to mark the 60th session of the Commission on the Status of Women as Israel’s first ever Minister for Social Equality, and also as the mother of two young daughters. I hope that the messages of opportunity, equality, and empowerment we hear in this chamber will lead us to action, and to a true change for women and girls everywhere.

Ms. Chairwoman,

Throughout the years, we have heard too many stories in these halls about women being victims of rape, forced marriages, sex slavery, stonings and other horrible crimes. There is a link between empowering women and ending the violence against them. To end violence against women, we must give a voice to those who suffer in silence.

Israel is proud to be a champion of the empowerment of women and gender equality. Today, Israeli women hold leading positions in all fields, from government to business to academia. Despite the troubled region we live in, where women are often excluded from positions of power, it is an honor to be part of a nation where we have had a woman, Golda Meir, who served as Prime Minister, a woman Chief Justice of the Supreme Court for the second time now; women serve as fighter pilots and in other top military roles, and an Arab woman is the Chairperson of the Committee for the Advancement of Status of Women in the Knesset.

In the 21st century, there is no reason why in women should be treated any differently than men.  Period! As Israel’s Minister for Social Equality, I am determined to work towards full gender equality in all aspects of life in Israel. I have created a plan for every governmental office to submit a gender budget detailing how much money they allocate to women. We need to see where the funds are going, and if it is not balanced then we must balance it.

Equality must start in the workforce. By giving women the opportunities, the possibilities and the tools in the workforce, we will promote gender equality through economic empowerment!

I strongly believe that the inclusion of women is key to opening the door to a sustainable peace. More than 25 percent of our parliament members are women, including two Arab Israeli women lawmakers. This is the highest representation of women in our parliament to date, but we are working to increase that number.

I also hope to see more Arab women in Israel involved in society, in the workplace and in academia. I am very proud that the Cabinet recently approved a landmark billion-dollar budget, led by my Ministry, for Arab citizens and other minority populations in order to reduce social gaps and improve the living conditions of this sector.

I firmly believe that everything begins with an education towards peace. Shalom - or peace - is the first word our children learn in school.

Ms. Chairwoman

Around the world, the lives of millions of women are impacted by conflicts. They are often the first victims of war, and the most deprived of basic resources. Women can no longer afford to let others deal with questions of war and peace on their behalf. Given the opportunity to take part in conflict resolution, women will bring about the safe, sustainable, and secure future we promote here today.

Ladies and Gentlemen, Women must be free to choose their own path in life, unhindered by barriers and bias.  This freedom paves the way for a better, and a more stable society for all.

Israel believes that women are powerful agents of moderation, particularly in the face of extremism. As leaders and decision makers we can be a stabilizing force. Especially in this region of the world, women are an untapped potential for more peaceful societies.

As a mother, I want to be able to tell my daughters that they will never suffer from violence, exclusion, and gender discrimination.  I want to promise them that as they grow up, they will be free and no one will ever discriminate against them because of their gender.  This is the promise all women and all girls deserve, and it is our responsibility to make this commitment a reality.

We have made great progress, but there is still much work to do. But we must succeed, and succeed we will!

Thank you.