Righting Injustice

21 August 2014

Before recessing for the summer, the Knesset passed a law that erases years of discrimination against women. The Law for the Division of Pension Savings of Separated Couples ensures that a divorced woman whose former spouse had died would be entitled to her share of his pension. Until now, the former spouse’s share of the pension was eliminated upon divorce.

This law was tirelessly promoted for 15 years by Dr. Tikva Reger, director of the NGO Granit – Aid to Women Before, during and after Divorce Proceedings, which received several NIF grants. Credit also goes to Na’amat’s legal department for help with this campaign.

“The passage of this law rights an outrageous injustice,” said Shatil lobby expert Shmulik David, who helped guide Granit in this process. “Many of these women did not work, or worked only part time and therefore earned a small pension because they were raising the couple’s children and running their household.”

Among the MKs who helped bring the law to fruition were Zehava Galon (Meretz), Merav Michaeli (Labor) and Yakov Margi (Shas).

Photo Credit: “Israel Knesset, Givat Ram, Jerusalem” by Flickr user Benjamin