Facts and Figures: Economic Empowerment

  • While the rate of Palestinian men unemployment has decreased 1.5 per cent between 2005 and 2017, that of Palestinian women has dramatically increased to 25.2 per cent over the same period [1].
  • In 2017, the average daily wage of Palestinian women (84.6 NIS) is only around 70 per cent of that of men (119.6 NIS) in 2017 [2].
  • Only 3.5 per cent of working age (15-64 years old) women set up their own businesses compared to 16 per cent for working age of men in Palestine [3].
  • In Palestine there are almost 7,000 businesses that are owned and operated by women  [4].

Notes

[1] Palestinian Central Bureau of Statistics (2017, March 8). The Eve of the International Women’s Day [Press release]. Retrieved from http://www.pcbs.gov.ps/portals/_pcbs/PressRelease/Press_En_7-3-20148-women-en.PDF

[2] Ibid.

[3] OECD (2013). Gender inequality and entrepreneurship in the Middle East and North Africa

[4] Palestine Economic Policy Research Institute (MAS) (2014). Policies for Up Scaling the Female Entrepreneurship in the State of Palestine.