NEWE ILAN: How do you achieve integration of Israel's Arab citizens? Pretty simple — just follow this equation: integrate unemployed Arab citizens into the job market. This results in less poverty and more economic independence, leading to better integration into Israeli society as a whole. In reality, nothing is that simple, but such a step could definitely be part of the solution. This is why the Ministry of Minority Affairs, headed by Avishay Braverman, recently approved two NIS 6.5 million programs to improve employment rates and university education in the Arab sector. One of the programs focuses on women's economic and educational advancement in Israeli society — past experience shows that an education is not enough; a job must follow. The Ministry got it right — Arab women are the most impoverished and least educated minority group in Israel, facing discrimination on multiple levels. Not only are they women in a paternalistic society, but they are also Arab in a predominantly Jewish society and therefore suffer the consequences of both gender and ethnic discrimination. Their socioeconomic status is the lowest rung on the Israeli ladder. Arab women are not incapable of advancing — they simply do not have the opportunities. Contrary to remarks by Finance Minister Yuval Steinitz, “cultural obstacles” and “traditional frameworks” are not the main reasons for the high unemployment rate amongst Arab women (currently at 82 percent as opposed to 43 percent for Jewish women). The fact that they live in Arab societies, as Steinitz and many others conclude, is not what keeps them from getting jobs. Much more significant are the practical obstacles that stand in the way of Arab women joining the workforce, including lack of daycare centers, proper infrastructure and public transportation in Arab communities, as well as discrimination within the workforce. Beyond the obvious benefits, another significant outcome of integrating Arab women is the greater degree of interaction with Jewish society leading to a greater tolerance and acceptance of the “Other”. Various NGOs are assisting women who want to work. Sharikat Hayat, or Life Partners, is an initiative by the Abraham Fund Initiatives, a non-profit organization that seeks to promote a shared society between Israel's Jewish and Arab citizens, by setting up pilot programs that they would like the government to eventually adopt. Sharikat Hayat targets married, widowed, and divorced women who suffer from poverty and who want to work but cannot because of the obstacles they face. The program reaches out to three different focus groups — Arab women, potential employers, and decision makers. When Arab women do secure employment, they find that their new role has ripple effects. As Nisreen Hilu, who has participated in Sharikat Hayat put it, “I now have the ability to help my husband with household duties and it feels gratifying …Whenever there is something missing around the house, I have the ability to go and get it myself. The fact that I work also creates mutual understanding and respect between myself and my husband. We both understand what it's like to work and come home tired, so our time at home is spent loving one another rather than fighting and arguing.” The effects of working Arab women are positively felt throughout their communities. Amal, a mother of four, was rejected for work at a bank because of her traditional clothing. Now, with the help of Sharikat Hayat she works as a fundraiser at a non-profit organization for dialysis patients. Talking about the effect it has had on her life she says, “My neighbors realize the difference a job has made within me. I am more enlightened and more aware of what's happening around me. Having a job has given me a feeling of independence and value — it makes me alive. I feel like I have something to contribute to this world, rather than just being a part of it.” The government must begin to take a larger share in these programs and not leave it primarily to the non-profit sector. Government initiatives are not only likely to reach a greater number of women than programs run by the non-profit sector, but they will also bestow added legitimacy to Arab women in the workplace. The Minority Affairs programs are a good start. Pilot programs, such as Sharikat Hayat, show that many Arab women want to work and are capable of doing so. Making Arab women more visible will not only benefit individuals but will bring countless benefits to Israeli society as a whole. Nadia Ismael is the director of employer relations for Sharikat Hayat and the Initiative Coordinator in Nahef. This article was written for the Common Ground News Service (CGNews). www.commongroundnews.org.
