Stav Shaffir facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Stav Shaffir
|
|
|---|---|
Shaffir in 2015
|
|
| Faction represented in the Knesset | |
| 2013–2015 | Labor Party |
| 2015–2019 | Zionist Union |
| 2019 | Labor Party |
| 2019–2020 | Democratic Union |
| Personal details | |
| Born | 17 May 1985 Netanya, Israel |
Stav Shaffir (Hebrew: סְתָיו שָׁפִיר; born May 17, 1985) is an Israeli politician. She was a member of the Knesset, which is like Israel's parliament. She is currently the leader of the Green Party.
Stav Shaffir became well-known as one of the main leaders of the 2011 Israeli social justice protests. These protests focused on important issues like housing costs, public services, and making sure everyone had a fair chance. She later became the spokesperson for this movement.
She was first elected to the Knesset in 2013 with the Labor Party. She kept her seat in the 2015 elections as part of the Zionist Union group. She was re-elected again in April 2019. After some changes in her party, she joined the Democratic Union alliance. She lost her Knesset seat in the 2020 election.
Contents
About Stav Shaffir
Stav Shaffir was born in Netanya, Israel. When she was 12, her family moved to Pardesiya. Her parents had an accounting business there.
Early Life and Volunteering
Shaffir joined a youth group called HaNoar HaOved VeHaLomed, which means "Federation of Working and Studying Youth." After high school, she spent a year volunteering in Tiberias. She worked with a group that helps protect nature in Israel.
Military Service and Studies
Shaffir served in the Israel Defense Forces (IDF). She was a cadet in the flight academy for a short time. Then, she became a writer for the IDF magazine, Bamahane. In this role, she reported on important events like the Israeli withdrawal from Gaza and the 2006 Lebanon war.
After her military service, Shaffir studied at the City University of London. She was part of a special program for future leaders. This program aimed to help change the situation between Israelis and Palestinians. While in London, she worked in the British Parliament. She earned a degree in Sociology and Journalism in 2009.
Music and Journalism
Stav Shaffir is very musical. She plays the piano, drums, guitar, violin, and oud. After her studies in London, she continued to study music in Israel. She also worked as a journalist and editor for several publications. She wrote for National Geographic and other Israeli newspapers and magazines. She wrote the first article in Israeli media about the 2011 social justice protests.
In 2021, she appeared on the Israeli TV show The Singer in the Mask as the Beetle.
Standing Up for Change
Stav Shaffir was a key figure in the 2011 Israeli social justice protests. She helped organize these large demonstrations with Daphni Leef and Itzik Shmuli. About 400,000 Israelis took to the streets to protest. They wanted fairer housing prices and better public services.
Leading the Protests
Shaffir helped set up over 120 tent camps across Israel. These camps were places where protesters gathered. She led many demonstrations, including a huge march called the "March of the Million." She also talked with members of the Knesset to push for social justice. She was the main spokesperson for the protest movement.
In February 2012, Shaffir and other protesters started the Israeli Social Movement. They traveled across Israel to listen to people's concerns. A month later, Shaffir decided to run for the Knesset as a member of the Labor Party.
Political Journey
Shaffir joined the Labor Party in 2012. She ran in the 2013 general elections and won a seat in the Knesset. She was placed high on the party list, which helped her get elected. In the 2015 elections, she was placed even higher on the list.
.jpg)
Youngest Female Knesset Member
When she was first elected at age 27, Shaffir became the youngest female Knesset member in history. She was also known for having very little personal wealth. She did not own an apartment or a car. She was one of eight Knesset members who refused a pay raise in 2015. She felt it was not right given that many Israelis were struggling with their wages.
Labor Party Leadership Race
In July 2019, Shaffir ran to become the head of the Labor Party. She received 27% of the votes. Amir Peretz won that election.
Making Government More Open
One of Shaffir's biggest achievements was making the Israeli government's budget more transparent. This means making it easier for everyone to see how public money is being spent. She was a member of the Knesset Finance Committee.
She pushed for the 2013 Israeli State Budget to be fairer to middle and lower-income families. She even took her concerns to the Supreme Court. The court ruled that the Finance Ministry had to work with Shaffir to create a new way for budget transfers.
Shaffir also fought for fair payments for people in southern Israel. These areas were greatly affected by the 2014 conflict in Gaza. She made sure funds were given to local areas hit by rockets. She also spoke out against money being sent to certain organizations without proper checks. She believed public funds should be used openly and fairly.
Committee for Transparency
In July 2015, Shaffir started and led a new committee in parliament. It was called the Special Committee for the Transparency and Accessibility of Government Information. This committee works to make government information clear and easy to find. It focuses on open government and open data.
Supporting Women's Rights
Shaffir has supported women's rights and freedom of religious practice. In March 2013, she joined Women of the Wall in prayer at the Western Wall in Jerusalem. This group advocates for women's right to pray equally at the site. Shaffir and other female lawmakers were initially stopped by police. However, their legal status as legislators allowed them to pray. She joined them to support equal prayer rights and broader religious freedom in Israel.
She also helped stop the exclusion of women from certain shelters during the 2014 conflict. She made sure that all shelters were open to everyone.
Advocating for LGBT Rights
Shaffir proposed a law in May 2013 to allow same-sex couples to have their civil unions recognized by the government. She also worked with lawyers and activists to find ways to help the LGBTQ community without needing new laws. This included making it easier for same-sex couples to adopt children.
Social Justice and Peace
Shaffir believes that social and economic issues are connected to the Israeli-Palestinian peace process. She spoke about this at conferences in the United States. She also talked about the need for careful ways to resolve conflicts peacefully. She dreams of an Israel that welcomes everyone and helps those in need. She also wants an Israel that does not control millions of Palestinians.
She worked to create a fair rent law to help people with rising housing costs. The Housing Cabinet adopted her proposed law.
Asylum Policy
Shaffir has spoken about Israel needing a clear policy for asylum seekers. She believes Israel should welcome refugees, especially since many Israelis have a history of being refugees themselves. She said, "We are a country based on refugees. My grandmother escaped from Iraq and my grandfather escaped during the Holocaust."
Global Transparency Efforts
In February 2017, Shaffir was chosen to lead a new committee for government transparency in the OECD. This is a global organization. The committee works to make governments around the world more open.
Democratic Union and Green Party
In July 2019, Shaffir left the Labor Party. She joined a new group called the Democratic Union. This group included the Green Movement, which Shaffir now leads. She resigned from the Knesset at that time.
In December 2019, Shaffir announced that the Green Movement would be renamed the Green Party. She ran as its leader in the 2020 elections. She was re-elected as the head of the party in January 2021.
Awards and Recognition
In November 2018, Apolitical, a global policy platform, named Shaffir one of the "Hundred Future Leaders: The World’s Most Influential Young People in Government for 2018." This list included other important young leaders from around the world.
See also
In Spanish: Stav Shaffir para niños
