Topic: 2024-Gender Equality in Rural Areas
Country: Israel
Delegate Name: Taylor Winkelman
Gender Equality in Rural Areas
Israel
City High School
Taylor Winkelman
Since the state was founded in 1948, Israel has made numerous efforts to protect the natural rights of their citizens regardless of race, sex, or religion. Israel has grown from a barren desert to a booming technological center. The state of Israel’s growth has been not only economically, but also socially, especially protecting the rights of women. As of February, 25% of parliamentary seats are held by women. But, there isn’t as much awareness on what happens in other countries that have large rural areas.
Many Sub-Saharan countries are troubled by the lack if fresh and clean water that is accessible, the women of their households spend 40 billion hours a year collecting water. In Malawi, women spend eight times as much time fetching water and food. Women contribute in the same economic exchanges and jobs but do not get pay nor compensation. The UN discerns a big part of this issue to traditional values of gender roles. The lasting effect of gender roles creates lower wages for women and their tendency to underreport employment.Sixty to eighty percent of food production in developing countries is done by women, and in countries like Benin, some work 17 more hours a week than their men counterparts. In developing countries, they are vital to childcare, caring for the elderly, retrieving fuel, etc. If women were given the same opportunities, rural areas would see a 20 to 30 percent increase in the yield of their farms. Additionally, the 63% literacy rate could increase in developing countries. The more women that are educated, the more opportunities they have to join the workforce and expand the economy of their country.
Israel has acknowledged the importance of gender equality in rural areas by passing laws that affirm the protection of women’s rights. In 1951, they passed the Equal Rights Law that ensured representation of women in public bodies. They have furthermore added the Committee of the Status of Women to the Knesset, their parliament. More recently, two more significant laws have been passed on the topic of women’s rights, The Stalking Law (2001) and The Prevention of Sexual Harassment Law (1998). Both of these laws lay out protection for women who have experienced harassment and to prevent the harassment of women. The most early women’s protection, though, was in Israel’s Proclamation of Independence. “[t]he State of Israel will . . . ensure complete equality of social and political rights to all its inhabitants irrespective of religion, race or sex” acknowledges their natural rights.
Gender inequality is a threatening problem to women in rural areas of developing countries, and more effort is necessary to protect their rights and give women. If women are given access to the same rights and services as men, they can help grow the workforce and economy. Israel believes that it has notable legislation to protect women in rural areas. Unfortunately, the state has not been able to give their gender equality projects sufficient resources because of the ongoing defense needed against terrorist organizations. These terrorists threaten their existence as a sovereign nation. Israel believes once they can diffuse the conflicts, more resources and energy can be diverted to enforce their legislation on gender equality.
Works Cited
Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations. “The State of Food and Agriculture.” United Nations, https://www.fao.org/4/i2050e/i2050e.pdf. Accessed 27 November 2024.
Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations. “Women and Rural Employment.” United Nations, https://www.fao.org/economic/es-policybriefs/briefs-detail/en/?no_cache=1&uid=29511. Accessed 27 November 2024.
“ISRAEL.” the United Nations, https://www.un.org/womenwatch/daw/Review/responses/ISRAEL-English.pdf. Accessed 27 November 2024.
Legal Information Institute. “חוק שיווי זכויות האשה, תשי”א (Women’s Equal Rights Law of 1951).” https://www.law.cornell.edu/women-and-justice/resource/%D7%97%D7%95%D7%A7_%D7%A9%D7%99%D7%95%D7%95%D7%99_%D7%96%D7%9B%D7%95%D7%99%D7%95%D7%AA_%D7%94%D7%90%D7%A9%D7%94_%D7%AA%D7%A9%D7%99%22%D7%90-1951_%28women%27s_equal_rights_law_of_1951%29. Accessed 27 November 2024.
United Women Watch. “Facts & Figures: Rural Women and the Millennium Development Goals.” United nations, https://www.un.org/womenwatch/feature/ruralwomen/facts-figures.html#:~:text=Men%27s%20average%20wages%20are%20higher,than%20rural%20men%20%5B21%5D. Accessed 27 November 2024.
