A new report, entitled, “Women in Economics and Business in Israel,” paints a harsh picture of working women in Israel. The Israel Women’s Network prepared the report, based on figures from the National Insurance Institute, the Central Bureau of Statistics, the Ministry of Industry, Trade, and Labor, and other sources.
The report says that 49% of Israel’s labor force is composed of women. 1.2 million women aged 15+ worked in Israel in 2003. 91% of working women in Israel were hired employees in 2003, compared with 82% of men. The number of women working in Israel has been rising faster in Israel in recent years, compared with other countries.
Israeli women work an average of 31 hours per week, compared with 42 hours per week for men. The reason is that more women work part time, due to an inability to find full time jobs, and because women have more commitments to their homes and families.
64% of working women are employed in ten traditionally female professions, mostly in educational or clerical. In contrast, the leading professions among men are drivers (6.9% of workers) and senior managers (4.9%). Almost one third of working women are secretaries or clerks.
The gender gap in management is huge - only 10% of CEOs and 30% of senior managers are women. Most women managers are in personnel and finance.
What keeps most women from becoming managers? The report mentions a variety of reasons. The main reason is women’s traditional role in the family. 56% of women cannot assume a demanding management position because of their responsibilities towards their families and children. 23% say being women bars them from managers.
Women’s situation in civil service is also far from satisfactory. 64% of state employees are women, but most are at the lowest salary levels.
Salaries are the area in which gender discrimination is most conspicuous. Women’s average gross monthly income is NIS 5,322, 39% less than men’s NIS 8,654. The wage gap extends to the most senior positions, and to civil service, where women’s average monthly salaries are NIS 3,600 less than men’s.
Statistics show that the women do not go to work 58% of the time, compared with 41% for men. A closer look reveals, however, that many women are frequently not at work because they are teachers, and consequently have more vacation days. Another reason for this gap is maternity leave. The report also states that although the law bans the firing of pregnant women, 1,657 employers submitted requests to the Ministry of Industry, Trade, and Labor for permission to fire pregnant women, and women undergoing fertility treatments.
Published by Globes [online] - www.globes.co.il - on October 13, 2004