Adva Center is a non-partisan Israeli policy analysis center based in Jerusalem.
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Adva (lit. "ripple") was founded in 1991 by activists from three social movements: the movement for equality for Mizrahi Jews, the feminist movement, and the movement for equal rights for Arab citizens. The director of the center is Barbara Svirski and its chairman is Yossi Dahan.
Adva Center seeks policy changes that favor disadvantaged groups in Israel. This is done by offering consultations for advocacy organizations, Cabinet members and legislators; by organizing coalitions for social change; by testifying at public forums and giving media interviews; and by an extensive popular education program that brings progressive social ideas to a wide variety of audiences, from cleaning workers to senior executives. In addition, Adva Center operates a hotline for health rights, targeted at low-income persons, in conjunction with Israel Physicians for Human Rights.
Much of this work is done in the framework of the National Budget Analysis Program, under which the draft budget is analyzed annually for its implications for disadvantaged social groups and Israeli society in general; an annual workshop is conducted for legislators right at the Knesset; and budget workshops are organized for civil society organizations throughout Israel. Policy analysis is published in The Israel Equality Monitor which offers annual updates on educational achievements, wages and tax policy.
In recognition of the work of the Adva Center, it academic direction, Shlomo Swirski, was awarded the Naftaly Prize in Economics and Social Science for 2005 by the municipality of Tel-Aviv-Jaffa. In 2006, the Adva Center was the recipient of the Emile Grinsweig award for human rights work, bestowed by the Israel Associations for Human Rights.