Pro-rights Cirt

Under-utilization of social benefits is a widespread problem. In Israel, about 50% of those eligible for income support and 45% of those eligible for rent assistance do not exercise their right. This indicates that anchoring social rights in law does not guarantee actual access to them.

Moreover, vulnerable and marginalized populations tend to have lower rates of rights realization, although they need this assistance most. This is mainly due to the need to undergo complicated eligibility tests, as well as to bureaucracy, lack of knowledge, and psychological barriers.

Pro-rights City is a city-based joint initiative of the Ministry of Welfare, Rashi and JDC-Ashalim aiming to increase the rate of rights realization among residents, thereby improving their quality of life and socio-economic mobility.

The initiative has started as a pilot in 12 locales and expanded to more than 30, where it introduces a proactive approach and mechanisms that help to make rights more accessible. In each locale there is a municipal center for realizing rights and services, staffed by lawyers and specially trained volunteers who offer guidance and assistance to residents through the application process.

Alongside work at the local level, the initiative also advances national policy and infrastructure that support rights realization, including an inter-ministerial roundtable and a data system for measuring outcomes and impact.

Expected outcomes

• Expanding the reach and services of municipal rights-realization centers
• Increasing the number of referrals to the centers and the rate of rights realization
• Data-driven work and measurement of rights realization within the city
• Modifying bureaucratic processes related to rights realization to make them more accessible

Partners

Government | Local authorities | Philanthropy