Teachers’ Status; Leadership; Struggles; Females & High Education
WP Sessions 2014
Achievements, revolutions and challenges – Girls’ education and processes of modernism in Jerusalem 1854-2014
The 81st session was hosted inJerusalem in October 6th 2014.
The session took place in the framework of a research conference, marking 160 years to the Evelina de Rothschild school
Greetings:
Vered Swid, General Director of the High Authority for the Advancement of Women
Nesya Strasburg, advisor on the status of women in Kfar Saba, member of the Women’s Parliament Advisory Committee
Moderator: Professor Esther Hertzog, coordinator of Women’s Parliament
The way to feminism – From the Evelina de Rothschild school to fighting violence against women – Ruth Resnick, Israel Prize winner, chairwoman of the “No to Violence Against Women” Association.
The right to education as a leverage to women’s leadership – the “Women Reborn” project in Jisr az-Zarqa – Hunaida Assaf, Western Galilee College.
The anatomy of establishing a Gender Studies Program – the example of the program at the Ben-Gurion University – Professor Henriette Dahan-Kalev, founder of the Gender Studies Program at the Ben-Gurion University.
“Cracking the glass ceiling” – When the concept of smashing the glass ceiling becomes an adjective among teenage girls – Dr. Na’ama Azulai, Deputy CEO of Education, Alliance Israélite Universelle.
WP Session 2012
Women’s right for education
The fourth session took place in October, in Gisser Al-Zarka. It was hosted by Az A-Din El-Amash, the head of the local municipality and with the cooperation of Watfa Amash, the local coordinator of the project “Women Reborn”. The subject of the session was: “Women’s right for education – Ways of coping with obstructions on women’s way to education in the Arab society”.
The speakers were: Dr. Hala Espanioli, Dr. Naifa Sarisi, Nisreen Mazawi, Libia Amash and Raja Amash.
Personal stories told by the local women unveiled the ways of expelling women from school at a young age. They described how women found their way back to learning through the project “Women Reborn”, which opened up for them the way back and served to remove some of the blocking factors.
Speakers emphasized the traditional aspect of the Arab society which lacks awareness of women’s rights. They argued that its patriarchal values and customs contradict sometimes the progressive religious interpretations. Arab women’s desire to be integrated in the labor market and at the same time to keep up their traditional role, limits their range of choices. Transportation difficulties prevent women from entering the general and the local labor market. Also, the absence of governmental financial support has negative implications for realizing the right for education, especially in the case of poor people who can’t afford to pay for it. The acquisition of education, it was claimed, contributes significantly to personal skills, to strengthening the sense of self-value and dignity, to respect for others, to one’s freedom and rights, strengthening gender equality, having respect for the surrounding and for peace keeping.
WP Session 2006
Higher Education and Women’s Status
The Parliament session in June 2006 took place in Baka El Garbia, and was hosted by the Elkassami College. Hiba Yuness convened the discussion and the panelists were: Fatma Kassem, Dr. Erela Shadmi’ Ragda Masalha, Rina Cohen, Asmaa Nader Ganaim, Leah Shakdiel.
The patriarchal structure of the academic world, which excludes peripheral groups from integrating in its higher ranks, was emphasized by some of the discussants. The unique complexity of the Arab society was described as oppressing young women who strive to educational empowerment and gender equality. At the same time these women face the other oppression, as being part of the Arab oppressed minority in Israel. At the same time an alternative of egalitarian academy, one that respects a variety of knowledges and accepts people without selection, based on religion, gender, origin etc., was presented as a realistic option.
WP Session 2004
Women’s Perspectives on the Proposed 8-5 School-Day
The Parliament session in May 2004 took place in Kfar Yona. Iris Kol convened the discussion and the panelists were: Ella Dayan, adv. Ruth Dayan, Fatme Sarsur, Vered Swid and Klara Yona.
The speakers presented the economic and social implications of a 8-5 school-day for working parents, children and society at large. Israel is constantly avoiding the application of this law due to supposed budgetary restraints. As women usually take care of their children, they would benefit in particular from the implementation of the law concerning an expanded school-day. Two models of an expanded school-day were described: the education system in ex-Russia and “Kedma”.