Women’s Day – Our voice must be heard

International Women’s Day raised questions for us this year. Here at iota, we are engaged in women’s work and female leadership on a daily basis. However, given the times we are living in—when the ground beneath us still feels unstable—every marked occasion on the calendar carries a new and heavy weight.

On this International Women’s Day, we are still in the midst of war, there are still hostages in Gaza, and we feel that our voices as women are not being heard. And it’s not just a feeling, not just “women’s intuition,” but a reality grounded in harsh facts. According to the Israeli Central Bureau of Statistics, the progress in closing the gender gap in political representation came to a halt in the last parliamentary elections. The current situation does not favor us, but we are not giving up, and we are not surrendering.

In moments like these, it is worth looking to greater sources of wisdom—historical perspectives, mythology. In a 2019 article, psychologist Gili Leviathan suggested examining the discourse on war and peace through a different lens, placing the female voice at the center and highlighting its ability to foster dialogue rather than conflict. Leviathan describes how western culture has reinforced the “warrior myth”—a cold, rational, strong male figure—while the female voice has often been perceived as wavering between instability and ambivalence. She proposes looking at the character of Jocasta, the mother of Oedipus, as a female figure representing complexity. Jocasta is a dual figure that embraces dialogue rather than dichotomy.

Leviathan raises an essential question: Can we give the female voice a more prominent place in political discourse? Could a shift in the perception of gender lead to a change in the way we think about war and peace? (Leviathan, Gili (2019). The Correction of Jocasta: The Feminine Element and the Call for Peace in Cultural Products, In A. Govrin (Ed.), Couch and Culture. Resling Publishing.)

Back to the present. We, as women, know we have something to offer—an alternative perspective to the male one, a perspective that can drive real change. A way to look at and confront reality in a different way. More women in leadership positions, more of us choosing to rise and take action. Inspiring female leaders have emerged from the hostage families, so too can leaders emerge by choice.

So, where do we start?

One place is Mekom BaShulchan (A Seat at the Table), a podcast by Dana Weiss in collaboration with the Israel Women’s Network. The podcast explores what would happen if women were the ones making decisions in times of war. How would war and its consequences look if women had seats at decision-making tables? Each episode features an expert woman from a different field, sharing what she would do if she had a voice in shaping policy. It’s thought-provoking, inspiring, and calls for action.

We must not doubt our ability to rise and lead. One initiative working to make this a reality is KUMI, founded last year in the Gaza border region. KUMI calls on women to step up, take initiative, and create a strong female presence in key leadership positions in the western Negev. It is a women-led program aimed at fostering local leadership—a small but crucial first step on the journey.
This year, we are proud to collaborate with KUMI and look forward to sharing more soon. In the meantime, we encourage you to follow their work, and if you’re interested in getting involved, we would be happy to connect you.

With Love,
iota