This report is the fourth annual report done by Machon Toda`a ( Awareness
Center) , an Israeli NGO representing the International Abolitionist
Federation, on trafficking in women and prostitution in Israel. This report
is the result of continuous research of Machon Toda`a - Awareness Center
with the assistance of other Israeli NGOs (see list of NGO`s in page 2 of
this report).
Legally speaking, the State of Israel can be considered as an abolitionist
country that signed and ratified the UN Convention of December the 2nd, 1949.
Until 2001 in fact, the State of Israel was leading a policy of laissez-faire
that drove to a kind of reglementarism. Since then a considerable change of
attitude of the authorities towards the phenomenon of Trafficking in women has
occured. Unfortunately prostitution per se is still not perceived as a problem
by the authorities. This situation is also reflected by the attitude of the media.
The tendency is to see trafficking in women as a serious crime that needs to be
erradicated whereas prostitution, mainly local, is still considered as a
victimless crime.
During November and December 2002 two important reports were issued by decision
makers. During November 2002 the "Inter-ministerial committee to study and combat
the trafficking in women" headed by Super-intendant Avi Davidovitch issued a report
that includes many proposals how to tackle the phenomenon. Unfortunately these
proposals are still not fully implemented. (see Chapter 4). During December 2002
the Parliamentary investigation Committee, headed by MK Zehava Galon from the Merez
party has issued an interim report that provides an operative proposal based on the
legislative issue. Though the proposals of this report are not fully implemented
yet we can perceive that the authorities in charge of the implementation of the
proposals have finally taken the right direction and are developping a coherent
strategy to bring an end to the laissez-faire era. (Main points of the reports were
developed in Chapter 5 of the 2003 report - Measures taken by National and Local
Authorities).
These reports mirror the fact that more and more NGOs are challenging the
laissez faire policy. The abolitionist philosophy, though still largely unknown,
has been adopted last year by some members of Parliament but due to a radical
change in the balance among parties in the newly elected Parliament we find
ourselves again confronted with new law proposals to legalize prostitution.
Nevertheless, during the last three years a huge progress has been made to
adopt the recommendations of the UN convention regarding trafficking in
persons, especially women and children.
Among the NGOs that are promoting the abolitionist agenda are the Hotline
for Migrant Workers, Isha Le`Isha (a feminist center in Haifa), Kol Ha-Isha
(a feminist Center in Jerusalem), ELEM (an NGO handling prostitution of minors),
The Israeli Women Network as well as other small organizations and individuals.
The Hotline for Migrant Workers is a non-partisan, non-profit organization
established in August 1998, whose purpose is to protect the rights of migrant
workers and of victims of traffcking in women in Israel. The Hotline is an NGO
that has a direct contact with the victims of trafficking in human beings and
provides them with legal aid and representation.
Isha Le`Isha (Feminist center Haifa) is a non-profit organization established
back in the 80`s. It is initiating projects regarding the victims of trafficking
in human beings in the north of Israel.
Kol Ha-Isha is the only grassroots non-profit organization in Jerusalem
dedicated to developing and promoting a feminist model of social change,
established in 1994. The organization is currently promoting the idea that
prostitution is in itself a violence against women and is promoting public
awareness in Jerusalem.
ELEM is a non-profit organization established in 1983 and is specialized
assisting minors in distress.
The Israel Women`s Network (IWN) is Israel's foremost advocacy group for
women's rights. IWN is a unique, non-partisan organization of women who are
united in their determination to improve the status of women in Israel,
despite differing political opinions, religious outlooks and ethnic origins.
Established as a non-profit voluntary body in 1984 by a group of women
professionals, IWN seeks to change the social context and norms, which
currently prevent women from assuming their rightful place as equal partners
in a just and democratic society.
The Israel Women's Network, 9 HaBonim St, Ramat Gan, 52462 Israel
Tel: +972-3-6123390 Fax: +972-3-612-3991
Email: development@iwn.org.il
www.iwn.org.il
Machon Toda'a - Awareness Center is representing the abolitionist philosophy
in Israel and is creating a network of NGOs to propagate this philosophy
in the country. The organization is the official representative of the
International Abolitionist Federation in Israel.
