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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 120,000 women (100,000 in the
West Bank and 20,000 in Gaza Strip). The number of persons employed in
Israel and Israeli settlements from the West Bank reached about 33,000
with Palestinian Identity cards and 31,000 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 30,000 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 43,000 persons are enrolled in the public
sector, where the total employed persons are 158 thousands (85,000 in
West Bank and 72,000 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. |
