During the reporting period, Itach Maaki made significant progress on strengthening the Role of the Mayoral Advisors . After the advisors were not deemed ‘essential workers’ and were placed on leave due to the COVID-19 Pandemic, Itaach Maaki waged a successful legal battle to bring the gender advisors back to work, allowing them to address and combat the gender inequities produced as a result of the pandemic.

On the back of this success, the advisors gained a higher profile, and we, along with the Union of Advisors are using this achievement to advance their status within the Hisdadrut HaMaoff – the labor union for employees of local governments, of which the advisors are members , in front of Knesset Committees and policy makers.

Itach Maaki along with the Advisors’ Union are currently pursuing a legislative change in the Knesset, to the law on gender equality, under which the mandatory position of Mayoral Advisors was established. The legislative amendment will focus on mandating the authority that the advisor has, and ensuring that they have adequate budget to carry out their work.