What future do you choose for your daughter? For International Day of the Girl | Dr. Adva Berkovich-Romano
Dr. Adva Berkovich-Romano marks International Day of the Girl with a call to examine the future of girls in Israel in light of distress, exclusion, and erosion of rights. She presents data on rising mental distress, sexual assaults, and gender-based violence, alongside political and legal processes that weaken protections for gender equality. The article calls for the upcoming elections as an opportunity for change.
Dr. Adva Berkovich-Romano marks International Day of the Girl with a call to examine the future of girls in Israel. She presents a complex picture: alongside stories of female heroism from the Swords of Iron war and the attack in Iran, and an increase in the rate of female combat soldiers in the IDF to about 21%, there is a harsh reality of distress, exclusion, and erosion of rights. According to the 2025 HBSC survey, 36.5% of girls in grades 7-12 suffer from distress symptoms almost every day – twice as many as boys. In the second year of the war, 10,619 girls were diagnosed with new anxiety and depression disorders, compared to 7,448 boys, and there was a 22% increase in eating disorders. The author points out that 81% of complaints about sex offenses are closed, and criticizes the government for dismantling the mental safety net, doubling gun licenses, not joining the Istanbul Convention, and continuing the judicial overhaul that weakens legal protections for gender equality. She notes a decrease in the number of female Knesset members from 45 to 29 and only 5 female ministers out of 33 in the government. The article calls on voters to ask parties about women's representation, their stance on these issues, and to talk to their children about the implications of the upcoming elections on October 27.