Israel to allocate 25 million shekels to women in technology — Jerusalem Post

In mid-October, the Israel Innovation Authority and the Ministry of Labor and Social Affairs announced a joint investment of 25 million Israeli shekels in programs for women in the technology sector. The funds are planned to be directed toward training female managers, employment in technology, returning to work after a lengthy break, and reducing the gender pay gap, The Jerusalem Post reports.

15 programs for women in technology

The budget, which includes co-financing from private organizations, will be distributed among 15 programs. They are intended to remove barriers faced by women in Israel's technology industry.

The initiative covers five areas: advancing women to leadership positions, attracting highly educated women to deep-tech fields, returning experienced female specialists to the sector, career development after maternity leave, and supporting gender equality within companies.

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Pay gap

According to the Innovation Authority and the Ministry of Labor and Social Affairs, women in the technology sector earn an average of about 23,000 shekels per month, while men earn approximately 33,000. The agencies estimate the gap at around 10,200 shekels per month: men's salaries are approximately 44% higher. A significant difference also exists among research and development employees, corporate staff, and managers.

Robi Shemesh, director general of the Ministry of Labor and Social Affairs, said that employment rates for women and men begin to decline after the age of 50, while age stereotypes become a significant obstacle to working in quality positions. According to him, the new programs are meant to help women use their professional experience and skills to return to the labor market and advance in knowledge-intensive fields.