חוק שיווי זכויות האשה, תשי"א-1951 (Women's Equal Rights Law of 1951)

The Woman's Equal Rights Law of 1951 presents the principle of gender equality in Israel. The law deals with almost every aspect of the status of women in Israel. The law mandates that the same law applies to women and men concerning any legal act; that married women are granted full competence regarding property; and that women are granted full equal rights regarding children custody. Furthermore, any discrimination on succession rights is annulled according to the law. The Act prohibits sexual and gender-based violence, harassment, exploitation, and trafficking. The Act also requires adequate representation of women in public bodies, including in management and boards of directors. Historically, the religious courts were allowed to maintain their exclusive jurisdiction over issues of marriage and divorce (that had been subject to the laws of the respective religions and applicable by the respective religious tribunals since the days of the Ottoman Empire). The Women’s Equal Rights Law does not divest religious courts  of jurisdiction marriage and divorce cases when the parties have agreed to litigate in such courts.