The General Staff Forum Holds a Special Meeting on Gender Equality in Celebration of International Women's Day

At the meeting, the Chief of Staff's Advisor on Gender Affairs, Brigadier General Ela Shaddow, gave a presentation regarding women serving in the IDF. The commander of Unit 8200, Brigadier General “Y”, presented strategies used by the Intelligence Division to improve the human element of the IDF with an emphasis on gender equality.
 
Also in the meeting the CEO of Amdocs, Shai Levy, spoke about the company's strategies for promoting gender equality.

The Chief of the General Staff, LTG Aviv Kohavi, acknowledged the progress made in recent years regarding the advancement of opportunities for women serving in the IDF, and requested a comprehensive plan be made within six months to address the matter. 
 
In 2021 a record number of 46 women held the rank of Colonel, compared to 39 in 2020.
 
In addition, the IDF is strengthening and developing dedicated programs aimed at expanding the number of women serving in technological units.

In last year’s recruitment numbers, the total number of women recruited for technological positions was approximately 40% of all recruits. This was an increase of about 8% from the previous year’s statistics.
 
Over the last five years, the percentage of women Majors in the IDF has increased from 25% to 29%. The number of officers with the rank of Lieutenant Colonel has increased by about 30% as well.
 
Another significant increase has been the growing number of female combat soldiers, which has grown by 170% over the last seven years.

The proportion of women in clerical positions has moved by 50% towards equal representation.
 
As of 2022, women serve in positions all across the IDF, making a significant contribution to operational endeavors and defensive capabilities.
 
Chief of the General Staff, LTG Aviv Kohavi: “I applaud the increase in the number of women serving in core roles and combat positions in the IDF in recent years. Increasing the percentage of women in various positions will improve the quality of the IDF. In the near future, we will be holding a hackathon to find creative solutions for broadening the jobs available to women in the IDF and to maximize their contribution.”

“The IDF must set an example in terms of women's progress — a change which must be led and promoted personally by the commanders of the IDF.”