Breaking the Concrete Floor
In an opinion piece, Ayelet Razin Be-Or argues that women in politics encounter a 'concrete floor'—a barrier of unequal division of responsibilities, male power networks, and heightened scrutiny—before reaching the 'glass ceiling'. She calls for changing structural conditions, not just applause, and emphasizes that adequate representation is a democratic and practical value that affects the public agenda. The responsibility to dismantle the barrier lies with parties, the media, the state, and the public.
In an opinion piece, Ayelet Razin Be-Or, a lawyer and expert in promoting gender equality and former CEO of the Authority for the Advancement of Women, argues that women entering politics encounter a 'concrete floor'—an initial barrier of unequal division of responsibilities, male power networks, lack of resources, and heightened scrutiny—before reaching the 'glass ceiling'. She calls for changing structural conditions, not just applauding brave women. According to her, adequate representation is a democratic and practical value, influencing which issues are considered worthy of attention, such as personal security, domestic violence, and women's health. She emphasizes that the number of women is not the only measure, and that representation should be measured by real impact—position on the list, portfolios, cabinet membership, and budgets. The responsibility to dismantle the concrete floor lies with parties, the media, state institutions, and the public, not with women themselves.