The movement works to promote issues of economic, social and cultural justice, and to empower and create solidarity among women of the lower socio-economic classes in Israel.

The Ahoti movement was officially founded in 2000 by a group of Mizrahi feminist activists, including Henriette Dahan Kalev, Vicki Shiran, Neta Amar, and Shula Keshet, who is the executive director of the organization.

[1] The movement was founded upon the principles of Mizrahi feminism, and was born of the perspective that the feminist organizations in Israel were created and run by Ashkenazi women, mostly middle- and upper-class, and academics, from the center of the country, who worked to promote issues of interest and relevance to them.

[10] The movement's headquarters was established in the south Tel Aviv neighborhood of Neve Sha'anan, and serves as cultural and community center for Mizrahi feminism.

It houses an information center, multi-disciplinary counseling, art shows, lectures, workshops, courses, and other events geared to residents of the neighborhood and the public at large.