Israel: 66% increase in exclusion of women in 2011
A recent report by the Reform Center for Religion and State showed that a sharp increase in instances of segregation occurred throughout the past year, beyond the Haredi sector. The number of public conventions which implemented segregation doubled, tripled in cemeteries.
Translated from source:
news.walla.co.il
The recent public debate in Israel concerning the topic of the segregation of women in the Haredi sector is being backed by statistical data – a report of the ‘Reform Center for Religion and State’, published today (Saturday) on the Channel 2 show ‘Meet the Press’, presents a grim picture concerning the increase of the phenomenon of public exclusion and segregation.
According to the report, 2011 saw a rise of 66% in the number of reported instances of exclusion and segregation. The report further shows that the segregation between men and women has spread beyond the Haredi sector – in the past year, a steep rise of 100% was discernible in the number of conventions carried out by public entities which enforced segregation, and three times as much in cemeteries operating in similar manner. The report further states that exclusions to airlines, hospitals, voting booths, radio stations, conferences and public events, private businesses and advertisements. An increase of 60% in segregation was reported in private places..
On the other hand, with regards to public transportation - where numerous incidents of segregation of women on public buses triggered a public outrage - an 80% decline was reported in the number of segregated transports. This apparently stemmed from the Israeli High Court’s ruling on the subject in January 2011. Approximately 400 trips occurred per day in the ‘Mehadrin’ bus lines in the passing year, compared to 2,500 trips per day in 2010.