In Israel 20% of Arab women work as opposed to 56% of Jewish women, largely due to barriers such as lack of daycare facilities, public transport, and commercial and industrial areas in Arab towns. Overall, Arab women are the poorest, lowest paid, least educated population in Israel. Failure to resolve this situation will increase the divide between Jews and Arabs and will prevent current and future economic growth.

Sharikat Haya – Life Partners combats poverty in the Arab community and strengthens the status of Arab women by training them in workplace skills, computer skills, and Hebrew and helping them find jobs. Women receive continued support through one-on-one mentoring and meetings of participants in the programme. This support is essential because most of the women have never worked outside the home before and need help adjusting to their new way of life.