The women's leadership program "Mehubarot," spearheaded by the Authority for the Advancement of Women's Status in the Ministry of Social Equality under Minister Mai Golan, has expanded to an unprecedented scale, now operating in 90 local authorities across Israel. Following the initial pilot phase that involved 38 municipalities, an additional 52 authorities have joined, marking a significant milestone in promoting female empowerment at the grassroots level.
What sets "Mehubarot" apart is its systemic approach, which goes beyond merely creating spaces for women's leadership. The program develops tailored strategic plans for each local authority to advance equal opportunities, aiming to embed equality values deeply into the organizational and community DNA of these municipalities.
In addition to strategic planning, "Mehubarot" offers extensive practical activities, including training in entrepreneurship, financial management, leadership, and personal resilience. It also facilitates the establishment of women's councils and the creation of female networking networks to foster ongoing support and collaboration.
A central pillar of the initiative is the empowerment of women's status advancement advisors in local authorities. These advisors serve as the program's executive arm and professional engine on the ground, receiving advanced management tools, professional mentoring, and the ability to directly influence municipal agendas, translating policy into tangible changes in women's daily lives.
The program is already active in dozens of local authorities, including Kiryat Bialik, Be'er Sheva, Metula, Shdot Neg ev, Beit Jian, Rehovot, Migdal HaEmek, Bat Yam, Beit Shemesh, Dir al-Asad, and Eilat. The current expansion phase will see new participants such as Beit El, Tel Aviv-Yafo, Afula, Lod, Rishon LeZion, Hurfeish, Mitzpe Ramon, Kfar Saba, Yanuh-Jat, and Tamra joining the effort.
Minister of Social Equality and Women's Status Advancement Mai Golan stated: "The decision to invest unprecedented resources in the 'Mehubarot' pilot program stems from the understanding that the real change in the lives of women in Israel begins in the field – in the local authorities, which are the immediate address for residents. This is a precedent-setting move that provides practical assistance tools to local authority managements, and enables them to act strategically and equitably. We will continue to act so that additional authorities become a true model of equal opportunities."
Merav Stern, CEO of the Authority for the Advancement of Women's Status, added: "'Mehubarot' enables us, in partnership with local authorities, to build a long-term municipal infrastructure for promoting equality in opportunities, alongside nurturing a human infrastructure of strong, involved, and influential women. This is a strategic and measurable work program, with clear goals for each authority, and the advisors for women's status advancement are the embassy that brings the vision to action – and we give them full backup."
