A comprehensive reform, consisting of long-term guidelines, aiming to motivate a strategic process to strengthen Israel’s welfare system and social resilience.
The Background
The wide array of services welfare states provide their citizens and residents are essential for various economic, health, mental, or social hardships and challenges. In Israel, over a million citizens are currently dependent on the assistance and support of the welfare system for their sustenance and participation in society. For many, the social welfare system constitute the only available support.
The Challenge
Although faced with security and demographic challenges which are far greater than those faced by other welfare states, the share of public expenditure on welfare services in Israel is among the lowest in the OECD countries. The shortage in resources and manpower, affects the availability of the welfare services as well as their quality, which are reflected by growing dissatisfaction and frustration among both service recipients and providers.
The Right to Good Welfare: Menomadin Foundation Founder and President Haim Taib with the team of experts. Photo by: Menomadin Foundation
The Opportunity
The ‘Right to Good Welfare’ is a long-term strategic reform plan, initiated by the Menomadin Foundation with the goal of ensuring every Israeli citizen with access to adequate welfare services in both ‘normal’ times and in times of crisis. The plan was formulated over two years by senior welfare scolars, led by Professor John Gal. It integrates advanced academic-research knowledge, a comparative analysis of welfare services across OECD countries, and in-depth familiarity with the challenges faced by Israeli welfare professionals.
The plan consists of 11 chapters, each tackling a different issue that the welfare system in Israel is required to address, among which are poverty, unemployment, people with disabilities, the elderly, children and youth at risk, governance, regulation, and more. The plan includes detailed practical guidelines on each of the issues presented.
The plan’s main recommendations include a significant increase in the budgets and resources allocated to welfare services, and the legislation of a ‘welfare services act’ to secure people’s right to choose the type and scope of the individual welfare services they require. The plan was completed in cooperation with the Ministry of Welfare and Social Services.
