This guide, published by the Jewish Funders Network, is for foundations and funders who are active in Israel and seek to start or deepen their gender-related activism and increase their social impact in this regard. This guide is motivated by the desire to promote discourse, raise awareness, and provide practical tools for implementing a gender approach in Israeli philanthropy.
At a time when gender inequality remains a significant challenge, gender lens philanthropy is not only a moral choice but also a wise strategy for maximizing the effectiveness of social investment and promoting social equality in general.
This guide is written at a time of a prolonged war in Israel. This war broke out after a year of struggles over the essence of Israeli democracy, and following the COVID-19 pandemic. The implications of these three crises on the role of women in Israeli society and the economy are gradually becoming clear, and with them, the threat to women’s rights. Alongside these implications, we can also identify opportunities for the construction of a democratic and just society, in which gender equality serves as a cornerstone.
Using test cases from Israel and worldwide, we illustrate how gender lens philanthropy can lead to significant and sustainable change. These cases highlight the huge potential of this approach – from realizing values of equality and justice to creating a broad socioeconomic impact and maximizing the effectiveness of grants.
Based among other things on research undertaken to identify challenges and opportunities for the adoption of a gendered perspective in philanthropy, the guide provides knowledge on gender gaps in a variety of social fields in Israel: health, employment, welfare, education, personal safety, civil and family status, the environment, sports, and culture. For each field, we present major challenges as well as action items for philanthropy that can reduce gaps and promote equality.
The guide offers a wide variety of directions for action, from support for dedicated programs for women to incorporating gendered thinking in existing philanthropic work. Quantitative and qualitative data, combined with the analysis of inspiring cases, offers a solid basis for immediate action leading to significant change. This guide also includes practical tools that will help you start or deepen your gender-oriented activism. We believe that gender lens philanthropy is not only the right way, but also the smart way of attaining sustainable influence.
JFN is here to guide funders and foundations in applying the principles of this guide, to facilitate connections with funders and foundations already active in the field, and to provide personalized guidance to deepen your knowledge and implement gender strategies in your philanthropic work.
We invite you to join us on a journey for social change where every action can lead to transformation.
