The Woes of Gender Discrimination

THE WOES OF GENDER DISCRIMINAtION: Fired for Being Female addresses one of the more complex issues in the employment world, and one of the harsher penalties endured by working mothers- dismissal during pregnancy. The book closely follows the development of the implementation of the Israeli law meant to protect all women from dismissal, while exposing the manner in which the Women's Labour Law became a law protecting employers. The phenomenon slowly emerges as a reflection of the economic, social and cultural shifts throughout the present and past of the State of Israel, as it moved from a socialist state to one in which money is the only driving force for bothstate and citizens. While the book is a fascinating documentation of the development of the phenomenon as reflected in the strengthening of neo-liberalism, the author succeeds in tracing the ways in which inequality is created, to demonstrate how the weak are weakened, how the actions of women may assist them in maintaining their employment status, as well as providing an in-depth examination of how the individual's cultural-economic capital improves their chances of receiving the state's protection. The book points to the fact that a lack of coordination between the various government ministries, non-uniform legislation, blurred task definitions and varied institutional interests significantly impede the ability of women to access legal assistance. The study of dismissals during pregnancy points to wider social problems, and this book therefore acts as a unique document which may act as a milestone for decision makers and aid organizations or individuals seeking to understand the ways in which it is possible to minimize inequality, for the benefit of a more just society. Dr. Nirit Toshav-Eichner is a researcher and lecturer on "The New Labour World" and an organizational consultant as well as an academic member of faculty at the Peres Academic Centre. She completed her doctoral studies at the Hebrew University in the Department of Sociology, Organizational Studies.