Gender Equality and Women’s Empowerment in the Occupied Palestinian Territory
| Project Number |
PAL/09/50/UND |
| Duration |
2009-2011 |
| Donor |
MDGF |
| Location |
occupied Palestinian territory |
| Sector |
Gender Equality in the World of Work |
| Unit Responsible |
Regional Office for Arab States |
Background
A profound employment crisis is affecting Palestinian workers throughout the West Bank and Gaza Strip. Workers work less than full time, lose their jobs and search for alternatives that are unpredictable or inadequately remunerated.. Women in the West Bank and Gaza Strip have very low levels of labour force participation, and those that do participate are segregated into a few sectors. The security situation and structure of employment have also contributed to Palestinian women’s exclusion from paid and protected employment. Currently women’s labour force participation is at a low of 15.5 per cent.
Objectives
The ILO is participating in a joint initiative with the UN country team under the Spanish Millennium Development Goals Achievement Fund (MDG-F) on “Gender Equality and Women’s Empowerment in the Occupied Palestinian Territory”. The initiative is designed to promote Palestinian women’s social, economic and political empowerment.
Expected results
The following results will be achieved upon project completion:
- Gender based violence and all forms of violence against women and girls will have been reduced.
- Representation of women and women’s issues in decision-making bodies will have been increased.
- Opportunities for women’s equal economic participation will have been enhanced.
Within this joint initiative, the ILO interventions focus on creating an enabling environment that is favorable for women’s economic empowerment. These include: Increasing the influence of gender advocates and workers’ and employers’ organizations in decision making and planning by reforming discriminatory labour laws and planning for gender-sensitive employment opportunities; strengthening the capacity of the Ministry of Labour and workers’ and employers’ organizations to implement specific measures that promote women’s employment and protect them in the workplace; increasing employment opportunities for low-income women and young women graduates, including those in refugee camps.
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