At the outset, Israel would like to highlight the importance of the Committee and its work. 

I would also like to take this opportunity to express our pride in having Prof. Ruth Halperin-Kaddari, as an expert of the Committee, and its current Vice-Chair. Ruth served for 3 mandates, and is leaving the Committee this year. During this time, she worked tirelessly fulfilling her duties and promoting the rights of women. She led the Committee’s successful adoption of General Recommendation No. 29 on Article 16 - on the economic consequences of marriage, family relations and their dissolution- and she was the first Chair of the Working Group on Inquiries, paving the way to have structured procedures and guidelines for this important task. We are certain that she will continue to contribute from a different position, and we want to thank her, and her six colleagues who are also leaving the Committee now, for all their work.

Madame Chair, 

During this time Israel also presented its National Report to the Committee, under the simplified procedure. As we expressed during the dialogue with the Committee, we welcomed the exchange, and considered it, to be a very useful opportunity to introduce our achievements and confront our challenges. We have taken due note of the Committee´s recommendations, and we are working on the implementation of many of them. We acknowledge how a good and effective Committee can make a difference and encourage States, through constructive engagement, to improve both national and international systems to promote changes in the legislation, in its implementation, and in overall attitudes and approaches. 

We hope to keep this fruitful collaboration, and to continue working together to ensure the enjoyment of the rights enshrined in the CEDAW.

I thank you.