Woman’s Spirit organization led a historic initiative at the UN headquarters in Geneva

The Woman’s Spirit organization led a historic initiative at the UN headquarters in Geneva, as part of a first-of-its-kind international conference. At the heart of the conference was an official call for nations worldwide to recognize November 26th as the International Day for the Elimination of Economic Violence Against Women. The event was held in partnership with the Israeli, Latvian and the british missions to the UN, and was attended by an impressive group of 16 ambassadors from around the world, representatives of women's organizations from Europe and the U.S., and members of the Jewish community in Geneva.

The choice of date is no coincidence. While the world marks November 25th as the International Day for the Elimination of Violence Against Women, we chose to mark the following day as the day to combat economic violence - a phenomenon that harms women's independence and security yet remains unaddressed as a distinct issue in most countries.

The conference presented the current situation in Israel and the comprehensive work of the organization. Speakers included Hagit Bechor, Chairperson of the Board; Tamar Shwartz (MSW), the organization's CEO; and Adv. Hadas Arnon-Sharabi, Director of Policy and Legislation at Woman’s Spirit. They were joined by speakers from organizations in Latvia and the U.S., who confirmed that this is a widespread global phenomenon demanding international recognition.

Tamar Shwartz, the organization's CEO, stated at the conference: "On the 26th of every month, we remind everyone that the fight against economic violence is a fight for life itself. Today, from the UN podium, we say in a clear voice: the time has come for the world to recognize and address economic violence. Every woman is entitled to economic freedom, equality, and a real opportunity for a safe life."