The Bank of Israel held a conference to mark International Women’s Day at the Bank of Israel visitors center.  The conference focused on the topic of women in the labor force in Israel, and examined changes that have taken place in recent decades, as well as the changes that are still necessary in order to reach proper gender representation.  It also dealt with the importance of economic independence and the issues of gender and ageism.

 

The event featured the participation of Israel’s First Lady, Adv. Michal Herzog, who led a personal discussion on women, independence, and professional choices, and Nurit Felter-Eitan, Head of the Communications, Community and Government Relations Division at the Bank of Israel.

 

Following their remarks, there was a panel discussion featuring pioneering women who are leaders in their fields.  The panel was moderated by Ravit Dekel, curator of the Bank of Israel visitors center, and included Bank of Israel Director General Shulamit Geri, former Bank of Israel Governor Prof. Karnit Flug, and former Supervisor of Banks and Bank Leumi CEO Galia Maor.

 

The panel discussed the personal and professional choices that led these women to their significant achievements.

 

The conference ended with a lecture by Dr. Tal Dekel entitled, “On Women, Age, and Ageing, in the View of Art in Israel”.  Dr. Dekel is a researcher of culture, head of the Master’s program in visual literacy at Seminar HaKibbutzim, and a lecturer in the Gender Studies program at Tel Aviv University.

 

The Bank of Israel is promoting adequate gender equality. At the conference, Dr. Tzadok Alon, Head of the Bank of Israel visitors center, shared some of the actions the Bank has recently taken in this area, including:

 

  • ·       Expanding the financial availability charter, which deals with combating economic violence against abused women.
  • ·       Amendment to the Proper Conduct of Banking Business directive on Boards of Directors, with the aim of increasing women’s representation on the boards of directors in the banking system.  The Banking Supervision Department amended Proper Conduct of Banking Business Directive 301, and added a directive regarding adequate gender representation on the Board of Directors as an issue of social and public importance.​