The Central Bureau of Statistics said that youth make up about one-fifth of society in Palestine.
The agency stated in a statement today, Wednesday, on the occasion of International Youth Day, that there are 1.14 million young people (18-29 years) in Palestine, who constitute about one-fifth of the community, accounting for 22% of the total population in Palestine in the middle of the year 2020, (23% in the West Bank) And 22% in the Gaza Strip).
On August 12, the United Nations General Assembly approved World Youth Day, as they are essential partners in change, with the aim of raising awareness and highlighting the challenges and problems facing young people all over the world.
The Corona pandemic led to negative effects all over the world and on various sectors, including social and economic, and the impact of the pandemic on the State of Palestine was doubled due to the difficult conditions it suffers from as a result of the Israeli occupation, which exacerbated the suffering of the Palestinian community.
The United Nations defines youth as individuals within the age group 15-24 years, while allowing countries to define the category of youth according to the specificity and need of each country, and for the purposes of this statement, the Palestinian Central Bureau of Statistics has approved the age group of 18-29 years to express the category of Palestinian youth.
180 per thousand of young people with a bachelor’s degree or higher
The percentage of young people (18-29 years) with a bachelor’s degree or higher in Palestine increased from about 120 young men per thousand in 2007 to about 180 young men per thousand in 2019.
As for the gender level, the percentage of young women with a bachelor’s degree or higher increased from about 130 young women per thousand in 2007 to about 230 young women per thousand in 2019, while the number of young men with a bachelor’s degree or higher in Palestine increased from about 110 men per thousand. A thousand in 2007, to about 130 young people per thousand in 2019.
Low rate of early marriage
The percentage of young women who got married before reaching the age of 18 decreased to about 14 women per 100 according to the preliminary results of the Palestinian Multiple Indicator Cluster Survey 2019 (12% in the West Bank, 17% in the Gaza Strip), compared to about 37 young women for every 100 young women according to the results of the survey For the year 2010, more than a third of young women who are married or previously married in the age group (18-29) have been subjected to violence by their husbands.
The data indicated that the prevalence of violence among young women who are married or previously married has reached 37% in Palestine. By 31% in the West Bank and 46% in the Gaza Strip during the year 2019, it is expected that the phenomenon of violence against women will increase in light of the Corona pandemic and home quarantine, according to many studies.
Illiteracy vanished among the youth
The data of the Labor Force Survey for the year 2019 indicate that the illiteracy rate among youth has diminished, as the illiteracy rate among youth in Palestine (18-29 years) decreased to about 0.7% in Palestine (0.8% in the West Bank and 0.7% in Gaza Strip) compared to 1.1% (1.1% in the West Bank and 1.2% in the Gaza Strip) in 2007.
High unemployment rate among young people
Since the beginning of March 2020, the effects of the current crisis related to the Corona pandemic have been directly reflected on various groups of society, especially the youth group, which has exacerbated the already high unemployment rates among them, as the unemployment rate among youth in Palestine reached 38% in 2019 (31% between Males and 63% among females): 63% in the Gaza Strip and 23% in the West Bank.
The data show that the highest unemployment rates among young people were recorded among young people who hold an intermediate diploma or higher, as the unemployment rate among young graduates (18-29 years) with intermediate diploma holders or higher was 52% during the year 2019 (35% for males and 68% for females).
About 124 thousand young people work in the informal sector
The number of young people (18-29 years) working in the informal sector reached 123,700 workers, of whom 115,500 were workers compared to 8,200 workers, and the percentage of youth working in this sector represented about 37% of the total working youth in Palestine, noting that the percentage of youth working in informal employment in Palestine (Meaning young people working in the unorganized sector, in addition to wage employees in the organized sector who do not obtain any of the rights in the labor market, whether end-of-service reward / retirement, or annual paid leave, or paid sick leave) amounted to 59% of the total Working youth are 62% males and 38% females, and by 58% in the West Bank and 62% in the Gaza Strip.
In addition, a third of the youth employed in wages in the private sector earn a monthly wage less than the minimum wage (1,450 shekels) in Palestine.
The number of wage employees in the private sector who earn less than the minimum wage (1,450 NIS) is about 54,600 employees, of whom 12,100 are in the West Bank (10.1% of the total wage employees in the private sector) at a monthly wage rate of 1,098 NIS, compared to 42,500 wage employees in the Gaza Strip. Gaza (93.4% of the total wage employed youth in the private sector in the Gaza Strip) at a monthly wage rate of 611 NIS.
Half of the youth are not in employment or education / training
50% of youth (18-29 years) are out of work and education / training (youth not involved in work or enrolled in education / training) in 2019, by 41% in the West Bank compared to 64% in Gaza Strip. The percentage was 33% and 68% for males and females, respectively.
The majority of young people use the Internet
The data of the Information and Communication Technology Household Survey for 2019 showed that the percentage of young people in the age (18-29 years) who use the Internet from anywhere reached 86% in Palestine, 90% in the West Bank and 79% in the Gaza Strip, without any differences between males and females. .
The data indicated that 94% of young people who use the Internet used social or professional networks (Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, etc.), 96% in the West Bank and 91% in Gaza Strip.
