RAMALLAH, May 18, 2011 (WAFA) – Unemployment in the Palestinian Territory in first quarter 2011 reached 21.7%, Wednesday said the Palestinian Central Bureau of Statistics.
Using ILO standards, the number of unemployed persons was 217,000; distributed to 117,000 in the West Bank and 100,000 in Gaza Strip, it said.
Unemployment rate in Gaza Strip reached 30.8% is compared with 17.4% in the West Bank.
It said that 20.5% is the unemployment rate for males, compared to 27.3% for females.
The highest unemployment rate was concentrated among youth aged 15-19 years where it reached 38.4%.
Labor force participation rate reached 41% of persons aged 15 years and above.
The number of people participating in labor force in the Palestinian Territory was 997,000; of whom 673,000 in the West Bank and 324,000 in Gaza Strip.
The labor force participation rate in the West Bank reached 43.2%, while it was 37.0% in Gaza Strip.
A total of 66.7% is the participation rate for males, compared to 14.7% for females.
The unemployment rate among females who completed 13 years of schooling or above was 34.9%.
Bethlehem and Hebron governorates have the highest unemployment rate among the West Bank governorates where it amounted to 22.8%, 22.4% respectively, compared with 35.2% for Khan Younis governorate that recorded the highest unemployment rate among Gaza Strip governorates.
According to the relaxed definition of unemployment, the unemployment rate decreased from 29.9% in the fourth quarter 2010 to 27.7% in the first quarter 2011.
The services sector was the highest employment sector in the local market where it reached 40.9%; distributed to 34.3% in West Bank and 55.2% in Gaza Strip.
It said 22.9% of employed persons are in the public sector; of whom 41.7% in Gaza Strip and 15.4% in the West Bank.
The average daily wage for wage employees in the West Bank reached 85 Israeli shekels compared with 64.6 shekels in Gaza Strip.
The average work hours for wage employees in the West Bank decreased from 43.2 weekly work hour in the fourth quarter 2010 to 42.6 in the first quarter 2011. The average monthly work days remains at the same level 22.0 work days at the same period. The average weekly work hours in Gaza Strip increased from 37.8 work hours to 39.2 in the same period, while the average monthly work days decreased from 23.7 days to 23.3 days in the same period.
The number of employed persons from the West Bank in Israel and Israeli settlements decreased from 79,000 workers in the fourth quarter 2010 to 78,000 in the first quarter 2011, of whom 31,000 have permit, 16,000 without permit, 30,000 workers have Israeli identity or foreign passport.
Number of employed persons in Israeli settlements increased from 9,000 workers in the fourth quarter 2010 to 11,000 workers in the first quarter 2011.
An estimated 53.8% of employed persons in Israel and Israeli settlements work in the construction sector.
The average daily wage for employed persons in Israel and Israeli settlements increased from 160.5 shekels in the fourth quarter 2010 to 164 shekels in the first quarter 2011.
About 68.8% of employed workers in the Palestinian Territory are wage employees; of whom 66.7% in the West Bank compared with 73.9% in the Gaza Strip.
M.A.
