About Us
Forum Dvorah was initially established in Tel Aviv in 2009 with the support of the Institute for Inclusive Security, in order to promote the inclusion of women in national security decision-making processes and peacemaking negotiations.
This initiative came in the wake of UN Security Council Resolution (UNSCR) 1325 from October 1325, which stresses the importance of equal participation and involvement of women in all efforts for the maintenance and promotion of peace and security.
Main Principals of UNSCR 1325:
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Participation: Equal and meaningful participation of women and girls in all peace processes and at all levels of decision-making institutions, including conflict prevention and resolution, peacekeeping and post-conflict recovery and increasing partnerships with local women's organizations.
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Protection: Protecting women and girls in conflicts and after violent conflict, (including in emergencies and humanitarian disasters) from violence, and especially violence sexual and gender-based violence. Improving women and girls' safety, physical and mental health, economic security, and overall well-being, and improving the rights of women and girls and their legal protections.
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Gender Mainstreaming: Implementing a gender lens in everything relating to peace and security, national and international decision-making, including in planning, budgeting and implementation and evaluation stages.
In 2015, Forum Dvorah became an independent registered non-profit association in Israel (Amuta no. 580604585), and we are currently undergoing a strategic shift towards a more established operation as we increase our circles of supporters and partners, as well as our activity and impact.
Forum Dvorah is a non-partisan, non-profit NGO with an active network of professional women in an array of fields relating to Israel’s national security and foreign policy.
The Forum is unique in terms of its goals and the make-up of its participants, who come from a variety of opinions and backgrounds, but who are all involved professionally with the security and political fields.
Forum Dvorah works to include women in official committees dealing with security and foreign policy issues, including issues relating to the status and advancement of women in the IDF and the defence establishment, as well as to integrate women in academic discussions, conferences, professional panels and Israeli media discussion national security in Israel and around the world.
The Forum operates in collaboration with officials such as Members of Knesset from across the political spectrum; government ministries, the security establishment and civil society organizations.
Why are we named "Dvorah"?
The Forum is named after the Biblical prophet Dvorah (Deborah):
A Leader, Judge, Counsellor, Warrior, and Poet
An extraordinary woman of her time who serves as a role model and source of inspiration to this day.
