Women. 3.1 billion people. 49.7% of the world population. 50.01% of the population above 15 years in the world. For thousands of years, people actually believed they had no rights. It was only in 1792, when Mary Wollstonecraft published the first liberal feminist manifest, A Vindication of the Rights of Woman which demanded recognition in women as humans. In the 19th century, the struggle for equalizing the women's rights to men's rights concentrated on woman suffrage. In the early 20th century, the struggle finally bore fruit. Women started to get suffrage, first in New Zealand (1893), and later in other countries: Australia (1902), Norway (1913), Canada (1918) and the United States (1920).

Despite the achievement of women suffrage, it didn't bring equality in terms of women's social status, roles and place in the economy. The social status of women had not advanced a lot.

The women form 50.26% of the Israeli population, but their representation in the political institutions is negligible. Out of 120 seats in the Knesset, the women always had 7-12 seats. However in the last Knesset there was a jump from 9 female MKs to 14. The next Knesset will be revealed soon, with a chance for improvement.

In the government, the situation is not better, but leaves a place for optimism. There are 3 female ministers. Not a lot, but there were never more than 3.

The fact that the female MKs are also the most active ones is interesting. 5 of them are responsible for half of the legislation in the first year of the current Knesset.

Like in any other workplace, in politics women also have to prove their worth, and have better qualifications in order to achieve a certain job. It's not surprising why the women who get to the Knesset are such active and talented ones.
Talking about workplaces, the women's path is still blocked there. The successful high school girls often do not advance a lot in their academic studies and get channeled into "girly" jobs as teachers and secretaries, which don't offer a high salary and much horizon for promotion. Meanwhile, the boys who used to disturb the class go and succeed in the university, and end up as managers.

Equal opportunities, or unequal opportunities begin in the kindergarten. It is in the kindergarten where the girls go to play with Barbies and the boys take the cars and the Lego. And of course the educational system will not try to counter this by concentrating the girls in the bricks and cars corner.
Since childhood, those stereotypes of what is a boys and what is a girl are dripped into the young kids. Researches found that Israeli reading books, textbooks, and fairy tales for the infancy stereotype women as unintelligent, mentally unstable, passive, repressed and dependent on the group. Most of them are homemakers. In contrast, Men are stereotyped as intelligent, mentally stable, enthusiastic, joyous and independent.
When they reach school, they find that there are manly subjects that girls should not excel in. The school and the teacher choke the girls. The dominant comments in the boys' diplomas are spurring and direct into ambition and personal development towards the future in the career – "try to improve your achievements". Girls' dominant comments usually carry social meaning like "keep being like you are".

This is what forms those children when they grow up. They reach college and stereotype a successful woman as narrow minded, ugly and nonsocial.

There are two hundreds thousands of battered wives in Israel. Women are also subject to violence and harassments everywhere: school, bus, work, army and so on. There is almost no woman who has never been sexually harassed.
In Israel it is especially difficult to struggle for women rights. Golda Meir's rule provides a perfect fig leaf for the women's misrepresentation in the politics. This is reinforced by the myths of the Zionist movement about the pioneer woman's role.
Don't those pictures of women farmers hide a great lie? Is this untrue that the Kibbbutzim, the perfect socialist stronghold which acted under the banner of full equality put men as managers and sent the bulk of the women to cooking and working with the children, just like the conservative societies?

In the workplace, women often get less salary than a man doing the same job. Why should they have the same salaries? They are not the paterfamiliases. They have a husband to help. What about those who don't? What about single-mothers? I guess god will take care of them.

As you can see, our society blocks women from utilizing their full potential through discrimination which still exists socially, despite the legal attempts to solve it.

By not utilizing the most from our people, we lose workforce as well as good minds. Now, when the tide is changing the women gain rights, get united and enjoy affirmative action, the powers of their gender are unleashed. In many countries, including Israel, USA, and even Iraq and Iran there are more female students in the universities than males. In Israel, since the 90's more women get matriculation than men.

The spearhead that was created in the education might land women into better positions in economics and politics in the coming years. This might make the 21st as a peaceful and prosperous, contrary to the previous one.
After two millenniums when the women were oppressed baby machines with no rights, they finally get the ability to use their talents, develop their own lives and careers and be a productive member of the society. It is clear that countries which entitle women with rights are usually thriving, while those who don't only function as half a country.

For creating a strong and a healthy society, country and world we have to give every human, man or woman the liberty to utilize their whole potential. This way we get the most from our human and mental resources. We can't allow ourselves to lose half of our invention potential over prejudice.

Bibliography

Ariela Friedman, Ruth Shrift and Dafna N. Izraeli. The Double Bind, Women in Israel. Hakibbutz Hameuchad Publishing House, 1982.

Kamir, Orit. Feminism. Rights and the Law. The Ministry of Defense, Israel, 2002.

"women's liberation movement" Encyclopedia Britannica 2001 Deluxe Edition. Britannica. 2001

"woman suffrage" Encyclopedia Britannica 2001 Deluxe Edition. Britannica. 2001

Agmon, Nira. "Don't give them a hand." Al HaTzafon 16 Jan 2003: 29.

Present Situation Towards the International Woman Day. 2000. Snunit. Accessed 16 jan 2003. <http://www.snunit.k12.il/woman>

Women and Politics. Naamat. Accessed 16 Jan 2003 <http://www.naamat.org.il/themes/default.asp?PageId=2>