{
  "id": 15326486,
  "title": "Israel launches NIS 25 million initiative to close high-tech gender gap",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/10/18/israel-launches-nis-25-million-initiative-to-close-high-tech-gender",
  "topic": "tech",
  "section": "Tech",
  "published": "2026-10-18T02:00:04.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "Jerusalem Post Tech & Start-Ups",
    "slug": "jerusalem-post-tech-start-ups",
    "url": "https://www.jpost.com/business-and-innovation/tech-and-start-ups/article-911997"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "The Israel Innovation Authority and the Labor and Social Affairs Ministry have announced a joint NIS 25 million investment to address gender disparities in Israel's high-tech industry. This funding aims to train senior female executives, integrate women into tech roles, assist women returning to work after a long break, and reduce the gender wage gap. The initiative targets five key challenges identified by the IIA and the Labor and Social Affairs Ministry, including advancing women into senior management positions, integrating highly educated women into deep-tech industries, supporting career advancement after maternity leave, and promoting gender equality within high-tech companies. Currently, women in high-tech earn around NIS 23,000 per month compared to men's NIS 33,000, a difference of approximately NIS 10,200 per month, with men earning about 44% more. The Labor and Social Affairs Ministry Director-General, Robi Shemesh, emphasizes the need to prepare for a diverse and inclusive employment market that caters to all age groups, as employment rates for both genders start declining around age 50, and ageist perceptions pose a significant barrier to continued participation in quality employment.",
  "summary": "This initiative is a response to persistent gender gaps in the high-tech industry, both in representation across technical and managerial positions and in salary levels.",
  "key_points": [
    "Israel invests NIS 25 million to reduce gender gap in high-tech sector",
    "Women in high-tech earn NIS 23,000/month vs men's NIS 33,000/month, a NIS 10,200/month disparity"
  ],
  "editors_take": "This targeted investment signals a shift toward systemic structural reform intended to dismantle the deep-seated wage disparities and leadership barriers that currently prevent women from reaching their full potential in tech.",
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 1,
    "also_reported_by": []
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}