Meet Assia Istoshina, PKI Researcher and Advocate for Women’s Rights

Assia Istoshina is one of Israel’s leading Russian-speaking researchers on such issues as feminism and gender. A social activist, psychotherapist and co-founder of the Russian-Speaking Feminist League, she has dedicated her career to advancing equality and social justice. She holds a BA in psychology and an MA from the Hebrew University of Jerusalem. Her research focuses on women’s safety, ageism and gender disparities, with one of her studies revealing that Russian-speaking women in Israel experience harassment at twice the rate of women born in Israel.

Assia has been a key collaborator with PKI, leading two major research projects—one on the needs of recent LGBTQ+ immigrants in Israel and another on the professional and personal barriers affecting women’s employment. In addition to her research, she provides psychotherapeutic support and group facilitation using a narrative approach, helping new immigrants navigate the challenges of Israeli society. PKI is proud to have her as a facilitator for its emotional support groups, where her expertise and dedication have had a lasting impact.