Women should take these elections seriously
Opinion: Some women claim they have no one to vote for during the April 9 vote, because none of the leading parties have a concrete women's rights policy. If, however, we don't get involved in the political discourse and ask the right questions, the situation will never change
The April 9 elections are rapidly approaching us. Some women, however, claim they have no one to vote for. "I want to protest the lack of female representation among the top political parties," I hear some women say. It makes me want to scream in anger. Go vote and influence the country!
These elections campaign is not just important. It's a formative event in the story of Israeli society. Thus, absolutely every single one of us is required to make her voice heard. This is a campaign that will decide how the Israeli society will look in years time. It’s a choice between aggression as well as contemptuous discourse and compassion, civil debate and assertiveness.
These elections will determine whether the general public chooses negativity, cruel and unfair rhetoric over integrity, positivity and respectful dialogue.
These elections will test our ability to ask the right questions, be mindful of different political ideologies and examine the way those at the helm of the top political parties approach the key issues. Do they intend to lend a helping hand to the senior citizens and those in the Israeli periphery? Will they campaign for the integration of women in leadership positions?
If we don’t demand answers to these questions, we may find ourselves electing our leaders based on fake news, vague promises and sound bites. The responsibility is in our hands. Leaders should be chosen based on past achievements and experience, not on empty slogans.
In my humble opinion, this election campaign should center around the answers to the important questions, around transparent ideology and realistic long-term plans. If Israel was a private company with a goal to generate profits, we would've demanded a work plan in order to meet timeline and budget expectations. A state is very similar to an enterprise and should, therefore, provide a sincere response to any issue that concerns the public.
Recently, I’ve lectured quite a few boards of directors of top public companies in Israel. I was impressed by the thoughtfulness, effort, management, and especially the understanding that formulating work plans is crucial in order to bring about noteworthy achievements.
Only organizations—where they ask serious questions and formulate long-term, strategic plans—boast hefty profit margins. Politicians should operate in a manner similar to CEO’s of these companies.
Furthermore, this election campaign is especially important to me as a woman. Will these elections be a turning point when it comes to the integration of women into leadership positions? Will someone finally address the gender pay gap? Is there a party that would be willing to commit itself to appoint more women to the board of directors and all levels of management?
In order for any of there things to happen, we, as women, need to leave the nasty discourse behind and take this elections seriously.
