The future is still waiting for us: Arab–Israeli women in the Israeli labor market

In the two last decades, the rate of Arab women, citizens of Israel, joining the labor market has slightly increased   from 12% in 1990 to  19%  in 2006. However, this rate remains very low compared to the rate of labor market participation of Jewish women’s which increased from 46 % to 56% (age 15+) during the same period of time. Based on data from Arab Israeli NGOs' reports, on official data and on recent research,   I try in this paper to analyze   this problematic situation. For that  purpose, I first point to the fact that the very low participation  of Arab-Israeli  women in the labor market  is related to the fact that  the structure of opportunities open to these women , which discriminates them on two fronts and counts, did not change  : As Arabs, they are discriminated  against on the labor market;  as women , they are discriminated against both in the Israeli society  at large and in the Arab-Israeli Society. I then emphasize the fact that  due  to an  increase in Arab  women's education, this development has been also associated with some decreasing gender  inequality,  reflected, inter alia, in more  legitimacy given to women's work; a strengthening of the  civil society and of feminist organizations  and , at different time,  three  Arab women  elected at  the Israeli Parliament.  Thirdly I argue that the constitution of a feminist intelligentsia ; the activism of  the Arab –Israeli  civil society and the reference to the International Law could be seen as  democratic institutional changes,   effective in promoting Arab women’s  more equal participation in the labor market. I conclude that, although strong anti democratic currents exist nowadays in Israel, the summer 2011 civil protest and the global protest, may give us some hope for a better future