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The movement of democratic women in
israel was established in 1948 under the impact of WWLL
When the war was over, there was a
great need for educating woman and making them familiar with and aware of what
was going on around them. Therefore the Arabic rising association was
established in Nazareth.
Later this association came in
contact with a jewish woman’s association in tel aviv.Because the two
association were similar in their aims and actions, they merged to become the
movement of democratic women.
Aims
Struggling for equality for women in
all areas of life: at work, in society, in the family and in politics.
Defending the rights of children.
Working for peaceful coexistence in
the world and in the region.
Women who care
The MDWI works for equality for all
women and against the discrimination of arab women.
We struggle for a democratic society
in Israel that guarantees all of its members full equality regardless of
nationality, ethnicity, religion and gender, we works for a separation of
religion and state, in order to lead to a change in the marital laws in Israel.
The ,ovement has been unique since
its establishment in its jewish - arab composition, which emphasizes both the
common problems of women and the future of equal rights and peace for both
nations in this country.
The MDWI is composed of jewish and
arab women, women who work inside and outside the home. Women who hold a wide
variety of views, young and older women.
Every woman and girl who agrees with
the aims of the movement is invited to join and to work in the area of her
choice.
A sample of our activities
Teaching illiterate women reading
and writing skills in order to widen their horizons.
Leading sewing and handicraft
courses in an attempt to provide women with little education the opportunity to
work and earn money.
Organizing lectures about women’s
health, about the importance of educating women and women finding work after
graduation, about equality between boys and girls within the family, about
women’s personal rights and about women’s rights and equality with men at
work and in society.
Raising women’s awareness about
violence, rape and murder in the name of “family honor”.
Demonstrating for the principles of
equality for jews and arabs in israel, for peace and justice between Israelis
and Palestinians and for the establishment of the state of Palestine next to
Israel with Jerusalem as the capital for both countries.
We work for the following goals
Full equality and nothing less: the
ADWI work for raising self awareness and social and political involvement among
women.
We work against discrimination in
different social and political areas and against the double discrimination of
arab women.
Jewish – arab sisterhood a basis for
society and individuals education activities against racism and for solidarity
among jewishand arab women as a bridge toward coexistence and as a basis for
life as a society and as individuals, and equality for the arab population.
Do not wait bring peace: we continue
our proteste against the accupation and the oppression of the Palestinian
people. The MDWI organized the first solidarity meetings with Palestinian women
who struggled for national independence and for the full and timely
implementation of the peace agreements.
Elimination of all weapons of mass
destruction: for many years we have worked against the arms race and for
eliminating all nuclear, chemical and biological weapons.
Violence is a product of a sick
society: this issue has always been on the daily agenda for the MDWI, we have
intiated and participated in the establishment of hotlines for women in distress
and shelters for battered women, and we maintain women’s associations in both
the jewish and arab communities.
All children are born equal under
the sun: the MDWI is a member of the committee for child welfare. At the
initialive of the MDWI thousands of copies of the charter of the rights of
children are disseminated.
The movement also submitted to the
Knesset (parliament) memorandums concerning children with special needs.
The MDWI has established more than
40 kindergartens and day care centers, as well as jewish – arab nursery schools.
The MDWI was one of the first
organizations that celebrated march 8, international women’s day, and
contributed to that day becoming a day that signifies the struggle for women’s
equality and for equal representation of women in the political establishment.
We persistently marked this day for
decades, and it is now celebrated by all major women’s movements in Israel.
MDWI activists share the awareness
of the need to establish frameworks for women’s organizations in Israel, in
order to advance the causes of equality and peace therefore, they participated
in the establishment of the women and peace movement, women in black women’s
network of peace (currently bat shalom), and the coalition of women for a just
peace. The MDWI is also a member of the women’s lobby.
The MDWI was the first organizations
in Israel that was affiliated with the women international democratic federation
(WIDF), since 1949.
Contact information:
Movement of democtratic women in
Israel
Nazareth St. 6026, No. 15
Tel/Fax: 00 972 4 6084263
Nazareth – Zip Code 16000 Israel
E-mail:
info@mdwii.com
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