Tania Berg-Rafaeli (Israel's Embassy): Gender mainstreaming, means to achieve gender equality

The strategy named "gender mainstreaming" is a means to achieve gender equality, "not a purpose in itself, but rather a policy, a strategy, an approach", the Deputy Chief of Israel's Mission in Bucharest, Tania Berg-Rafaeli, said on Monday. 

She participated in the third edition of the "Digital Romania International Forum", centered around the theme "Women Leadership in Industry 4.0". 

The diplomat detailed that the "gender mainstreaming" strategy was used in Israel to improve the situation of gender inequalities. Thus, the official said, the Israeli Minister for Social Equality decided that gender mainstreaming "will be the basis for the industrial evolution." 

The minister established a team, which, in its turn, recommended steps to reduce gender gaps in the industry by incorporating this gender mainstreaming, she explained 

Tania Berg-Rafaeli added that some studies show that diminishing pay gaps between men and women can lead to the increase of the GDP. 

Because the forum focused on gender equality especially in the information and communication technology, the Deputy Chief of Mission also talked about Israel's involvement in research and technology. Thus, she showed, the most recent study of the UNESCO Statistics Institute shows that Israel ranks second, after South Korea, as regards the commitment to invest in Research and Development. As a matter of fact, there are as many as 8,250 researchers to one million citizens in Israel, Tania Berg-Rafaeli further said.