The report is based on the labour force quarterly survey. Data was collected during 03/01/2010 to 01/04/2010, representing the 1st quarter of 2010. The data of this round was compared with the data of the 4th quarter of 2009 and the 1st quarter of 2009.
The survey sample of this round is based on the 2007 census-sampling frame; 7,770 households were selected to represent the Palestinian society of which 6,913 households completed the questionnaires (4,677 in the West Bank and 2,236 in Gaza Strip).
Economically Active:
According to the ILO standards, the labour force participation rate in the Palestinian Territory during the 1st quarter of 2010 reached (40.7%) compared with (41.5%) in the 4th quarter 2009 (while it reached 41.4% during the 1st quarter of 2009). The participation rate of women reached (14.1%) in the 1st quarter of 2010 compared with 15.1% in the 4th quarter 2009.
Unemployed Persons
According to the relaxed definition of unemployment, the percentage of persons who don't work regardless of seeking or not seeking jobs, decreased from 30.2% in the 4th quarter 2009 to 28.0% in the 1st quarter of 2010, compared with 30.6% in the 4th quarter 2009.
According to the ILO standards, the percentage of persons who don't work, but seeking jobs decreased between the 4th quarter 2009 and the 1st quarter of 2010. The results showed that the percentage of the unemployed decreased from 24.8% in the 4th quarter 2009 to 22.0% in the 1st quarter of 2010, as compared with 25.4% in the 1st quarter of 2009. The unemployment rate decreased in Gaza Strip from 39.3% in the 4th quarter 2009 to 33.9% in the 1st quarter of 2010, as well as decreased in the West Bank from 18.1% in the 4th quarter 2009 to 16.5% in the 1st quarter of 2010.
Tulkarm governorate has the highest unemployment rate among the West Bank governorates (24.9%) followed by Hebron governorate at (21.2%); while Jericho and Al Aghwar governorate has the lowest unemployment rate (7.0%). For Gaza Strip, Khan Younis governorate has the highest unemployment rate (41.0%) followed by Deir AlBalah governorate (35.8%), then Gaza governorate (32.9%).
The results showed that the highest unemployment rate was concentrated among youth aged 15-29; the age group 20-24 has the highest unemployment rate and reached 35.7%, distributed as 25.5% in the West Bank and 55.4% in Gaza Strip, followed by age group 15-19 which reached 34.3%, distributed as 28.7% in the West Bank and 53.2% in Gaza Strip, then 25-29 group with 28.1%, distributed as 21.4% in the West Bank and 38.9% in Gaza Strip.
The results showed that unemployment rate among females who completed 1-6 years of schooling was 5.1%; whereas, this percentage reached 37.2% for females completed 13 years of schooling and more as compared with 13.7% among males. The highest rate was among males who completed 1-6 years of schooling at 27.2%.
Employed Persons
The results showed an increase in the number of employed persons between the 4th quarter 2009, and 1st quarter of 2010 by 20 thousand employees. The number of employed persons reached 744 thousand in the 1st quarter of 2010 as compared with 724 thousand in the 4th quarter 2009. The results also showed a decrease in employed women from 126 thousand to 120 thousand between the 4th quarter 2009 and 1st quarter of 2010.
At economic activity1 level, the results showed that the percentage of those who have worked in agriculture sector in the West Bank was 13.3% in the 1st quarter of 2010 compared with 15.0% in the 4th quarter 2009; while the percentage of those who have worked in mining, quarrying and manufacturing remained at the same level at 15.3% in the 1st quarter of 2010 and 4th quarter 2009; The percentage of those who have worked in construction sector was 11.4% in the 1st quarter of 2010 compared with 10.1% in the 4th quarter 2009. For Gaza Strip, the percentage of those who have worked in agriculture sector was 9.9% compared with 7.4% in the same period; while the percentage of employed persons in commerce, restaurants and hotels sector was 18.2% in the 1st quarter of 2010 compared with 19.5% in the 4th quarter 2009. On the other hand, the results showed that the percentage of employed persons in services sector reached 34.2% in the West Bank and 58.2% in Gaza Strip in the 1st quarter of 2010.
The results showed that the percentage of wage employees in the West Bank was 63.3% in the 1st quarter of 2010 compared with 62.0% in the 4th quarter 2009; while the percentage of unpaid family members was 8.2% compared with 8.7% in the same period. Also the percentage of self employed person was 21.4% compared with 22.0% during the same period.
For Gaza Strip, the percentage of wage employees was 75.0% compared with 74.2% in the 4th quarter 2009; while the percentage of unpaid family members was 4.7% in the 4th quarter 2009; and reached 3.6% in the 1st quarter of 2010. The percentage of self employed was 16.3% compared with 17.1% in the same period.
Employment in Israel and Israeli settlements from the West Bank reached 15.3% in the 1st quarter of 2010, (with 39.9% have permit, 20.9% do not have permit, 39.2% persons who have Israeli Identity or foreign passport); whereas in Gaza Strip there was no access for workers to enter Israeli settlements.
The results showed that employment the public sector constitutes about one fourth (23.2%) of the total employed person, distributed as 15.9% in the West Bank and 42.8% in Gaza Strip.
Wages and Work Hours
The average value of the nominal daily net wage of employees worked in the West Bank continued at the same levels during the 4th quarter 2009 and the 1st quarter 2010 with 85.6 NIS and 85.7 NIS respectively; while in Gaza Strip, the nominal daily net wage of employees was 56.9 NIS in the 1st quarter 2010 compared with 62.3 NIS in the 4th quarter 2009. For nominal daily net wage for those working in Israel and Israeli settlements was 160.8 NIS in the 1st quarter 2010 compared with 156.4 NIS in the 4th quarter 2009 to, compared with 142.1 NIS in the 1st quarter 2009.
The average weekly work hours in the West Bank reached 42.8 work hours in the 1st quarter 2010 compared with 42.3 work hours in 4th quarter 2009; and in Gaza Strip was 39.1 work hours in the 1st quarter 2010 compared with 38.1 work hours in the 4th quarter 2009. The average weekly work hours for those working in Israel and Israeli settlements was 39.6 work hours compared with 40.2 work hours at the same period.
Working benefits:
Results about wage employees in the private sector showed that only 24.3% of them have a contribution to the pension fund; while 25.2% of wage employees have annual paid vacation, and 50.0% of women have a maternity paid vacation. On the other hand, results showed that more than 90% of wage employees in the public sector have work benefits as sick vacations, annual vacations, and maternity vacations.
Results of first quarter 2010 in the Palestinian Territory showed that about half of workers in the private sector were hired by contract (30.6%) distributed as 29.0% in the West Bank and 34.7% in Gaza Strip.
The results of first quarter 2010 in the Palestinian Territory also showed that 19.5% of wage employees were affiliated to a vocational union distributed as 17.6% in the West Bank compared with 24.7% in Gaza Strip.
