The PCBS shares with the Palestinian population and particularly the labour force on this occasion and highlights the conditions that Palestinian workers live and future challenges.
4 out of 10 persons participate in the labour force.
Participation in the labour force is considered the main indicator for the efficiency and activity of the labour market in providing job opportunities. The labour force survey results showed a decrease in the participation rate down to 41.3% of total manpower (persons aged 15 years and over) in 2006. This means that 4 persons out of 10 are participating in the labour force. The participation rate had been 41.5% in 2000.
The participation rate reached in 2006 in the West Bank was 44.1% compared with 36.1% in the Gaza Strip. Female participation rate in the Palestinian Territory is considered very low compared with males at 14.5% (17.9% in the West Bank and 8.1% in Gaza Strip) compared with 67.7% for males (69.8% in the West Bank and 63.7% in Gaza Strip). The number of participants in the labour force is estimated to be about 872 thousands (605 thousands in the West Bank and 267 thousands in Gaza Strip).
More than one fifth of participants in the labour force are unemployed.
The percentage of unemployed among the persons participating in the labour force in 2006 was 23.6% (18.6% in the West Bank and 34.8% in Gaza Strip). Also the unemployment rate among females reached 20.5% compared with 24.2% among men. The number of unemployed persons is estimated about 206 thousands (113 thousands in the West Bank and 93 thousands in Gaza Strip).
The unemployment rate in the Palestinian Territory is considered very high compared with other countries. For instance the unemployment rate in 2006 in Jordan reached 14.0% and 8.4% in Israel.
Hebron Governorate had the highest percentage of unemployment in the West Bank while Gaza North was the highest in Gaza Strip.
In 2006 Hebron governorate had the highest unemployment rate with 23.3% followed by Jenin governorate with 23.2%. The lowest percentage of unemployment in the West Bank was in Jerusalem Governorate (13.2%) and Bethlehem Governorate (13.7%). In the Gaza Strip North Gaza governorate had the highest percentage of unemployed with 39.0% then Khanyunis with 36.1% while the lowest percentage of unemployed was in Dier Al-Balah (30.2%)
666 thousands employed in the Palestinian Territory.
The number of employed persons is estimated about 666 thousands (males and females) in the Palestinian Territory in 2006 (492 thousands in the West Bank and 174 thousands in Gaza Strip). The number of employed females is estimated about 120000 women (100000 in the West Bank and 20000 in Gaza Strip). The number of persons employed in Israel and Israeli settlements from the West Bank reached about 33000 with Palestinian Identity cards and 31000 with foreign and Israeli Identity cards compared with less than one thousand from the Gaza Strip employed in Israel. In comparison the number of employed persons in Israel on the eve of Al Aqsa Intifada (3rd quarter 2000) was 146 thousands (116 thousands from West Bank and 30000 from Gaza Strip).
The percentage of wage employees reached 59.3% from total employment (55.7% in the West Bank and 69.0% in Gaza Strip) down from 67.6% at the eve of Intifada (66.2% in the West Bank and 71.0% in Gaza Strip). The percentage of self employed increased from 18.1% in the 3rd quarter 2000 to 25.0% in 2006.
The services sector (education health public administration … ) is considered the main employing sector for the Palestinian labour force; the results showed that 38.3% of employed persons work in that sector: 53.9% of which are employed in Gaza Strip 31.9% employed in West Bank (excluding the Palestinian workers in Israel and settlements). The construction sector is considered the main sector for those working in Israel and the Settlements with 39.1% in that sector. The trade and restaurants sector followed the services sector in the local market employing 19.7% in the West Bank and 17.3% in Gaza Strip followed by the agricultural sector with 19.2% in the West Bank and 11.1% in Gaza Strip.
The public sector plays the main role in hiring unemployed persons: about 43000 persons are enrolled in the public sector where the total employed persons are 158 thousands (85000 in West Bank and 72000 in Gaza Strip). In 2006 the public sector employed 23.7% of all employed persons in the Palestinian Territory compared to 17.4% in the 3rd quarter 2000 (eve of Intifada).
75.0 NIS is the average daily wage for employees in the local sector.
The average daily wage in 2006 reached 78.0 NIS for wage employees in the local sector in West Bank compared with 69.0 NIS in Gaza Strip and 132.0 NIS in Israel and Settlements. Also the results showed that the average weekly work hours for employed persons in West Bank were 42.0 hour compared with 40.0 hour in Gaza Strip and 44.0 hour for those working in Israel and Settlements.
