Women Against Violence (WAV), a resource on women's issues, has been dedicated to the advancement of Palestinian women in Israel for over 15 years. Established in 1992 by a group of Arab women professionals, who took it upon themselves to voice the needs of Palestinian women after seeing a need lacking in social welfare services for Arab women survivals of violence and began by providing support services as well as empowerment, raising awareness, and advocacy programs that would lift the status of Palestinian women. WAV has sustained its groundbreaking services and projects by elevating the women's status through efforts on three different levels: direct services, community services for public awareness, where groups of women and youth have been targeted, and advocacy initiatives for change of policy in the system. Through these initiatives WAV is succeeding to reach all sectors of society to insure Palestinian women dignified life.
Since established WAV has become an address for all Palestinian women, other NGO's and students on women's issues including its innovative researches and publications. WAV developed services for Palestinian women in Israel, including the Shelter for Battered Women and Their Children, the Shelter for Young Women in Distress, and the Crisis Center these continue to expand and benefit hundreds of Palestinian women and their children. WAV also worked to expose the gender-based violence issues to the whole society and engaged in lobbying and advocacy within Knesset and in the public realm to raise awareness regarding the status of Palestinian women in Israel. WAV came to a realization that strategically without advocating for women's rights among the public and decision makers, Palestinian women in Israel will continue living on the margin.
In 2005, WAV embarked with its project Women's Rights and that lead to establishing an equality pack granting women preserved rights and respect in systematic regimes. WAV has been initiating new advocacy initiatives that will contribute raising the status of Palestinian women in Israel and advance their rights. WAV developed new and expanded advocacy schemes resulted out of the need demonstrated in the two researches conducted by WAV through its "Women and Employment" and "Women's Rights" projects. The new advocacy agenda entails advocacy among the ministries and governmental and non-governmental institutions, which is a key part for this project that will lead to promoting women's rights, moving them into decision making positions, and insuring them their rights and fulfillment in the workforce. It also entails working with men to understand gender based issues from a gender perspective.
Vision
They wish to create a just and democratic society that will secure, for each individual, the right to a life with dignity, equal opportunities, and equality, so that everyone will have the opportunity to realize his or her aspirations. We are contributing our modest part toward creating an environment free from violence against women or oppression of women’s rights.
Mission
Women Against Violence (WAV), an NGO, is a strong advocate for women's rights and a pioneer in addressing women's issues. WAV is dedicated to:
WAV provides ground-breaking projects that are sensitive to the needs of Palestinian women, which address the existing discrimination faced by Palestinian women living in Israel. Palestinian women are still at times being subject to direct physical or domestic violence and treated as objects, being a woman within the Palestinian society. At other times, Palestinian women are freed from the constraints of her own society, yet cannot advance while the discrimination is beyond the realm of society rather the constraints are this time systematic. We believe that an atmosphere that is free of gender-based violence is a core basis of democratic and just society, and women's advancement is dependent on such a climate. Therefore, WAV tailors its projects and programs that attend to women's advancement. Being a well known source on issues concerning women, and after examining the attitudes of the public towards the advancement of Palestinian women in Israel through an expansive study, WAV determined a set of priorities in order to address the specific needs of Palestinian women living in Israel. As a successor to this research, WAV put together its existing strategies to achieve its goals that allow women to reach their own aspirations. Hence when talking about democracy, Palestinian women in Israel are still far from gaining their rights in practicing democracy and for that democracy in Israel is not fulfilled until Palestinian women are treated equally with men, without oppression and considered equal among all citizens. WAV is pledged to carry Palestinian women and the whole society in Israel towards this path. WAV is influencing the public's views and practices towards respecting all women's rights. Probing the key indicators and gaining the full perspective on know-how through knowledge, facts, and studying the field backup projects are tailored to insure women's fair civil liberties.
