MKs prepared for long-term effort to bring women into local politics

"We need to prepare today for the next election starting with legislation," says Yesh Atid MK Aliza Lavie.

By LAHAV HARKOV
ALIZA LAVIE 370 (photo credit: REUTERS)
ALIZA LAVIE 370
(photo credit: REUTERS)
There is a long way to go before women are properly represented in local government, MK Aliza Lavie, head of the Knesset Committee for the Advancement of the Status of Women, said on Tuesday.
The number of women elected to local councils rose from 232 to 340 last month, but the total number of council-members is 2,456.
Only three of 191 local authority heads and mayors is female.
“When a goal is set and we persist, we reach our goals,” Lavie (Yesh Atid) said at a special committee meeting at the Sderot Conference for Israeli Society. “We need to prepare today for the next election, starting with legislation to incentivize lists that put women in realistic slots and through support and mentorship by experienced women to help those who want to run.”
Lavie said this is a plan for the long term, expressing hope that in five years women will “reach the finish line prepared.”
MK Yifat Kariv (Yesh Atid), whose bill to penalize lists for municipal elections that are not at least one-third female passed a preliminary Knesset vote last week, said she is sure change is possible.
Bill like Kariv’s “are not doing anyone a favor, but enshrine the principle of equality,” MK Dov Henin (Hadash) said. “The situation in the municipal arena is shocking.