Knesset approves law expanding gender segregation in academia

The Knesset has approved a law to expand gender segregation in higher education, allowing universities and colleges to offer segregated master’s and doctoral programs with Council for Higher Education approval. This legislation builds on a 2021 High Court ruling that permitted limited gender-segregated undergraduate programs for ultra-Orthodox students. The new law extends this framework to all students, not just the Haredi community. Proponents, like Otzma Yehudit MK Limor Son Har-Melech, argue it will “advance women from sectors that have not received the opportunities they deserve.” However, opposition lawmakers and academic representatives contend it expands segregation unnecessarily, harming equality and academic freedom. Raluca Ganea, CEO of Zazim – Community in Action, stated, “discrimination against women in law is an integral part of the judicial overhaul and a deliberate strategy to strip us of our rights.”