عربي
Palestinian Central Bureau of Statistics (PCBS)
On the occasion of the International Youth Day, the Palestinian Central Bureau of Statistics (PCBS) issues a press release highlighting the situation of the youth in the Palestinian society
The United Nations General Assembly, in its Resolution No. 54/120 of 1999, approved the declaration of August 12 as an International Youth Day, as they are essential partners in change, and with the aim of raising awareness and shedding light on the challenges and problems facing young people all over the world.
The general goal approved by the United Nations on this occasion for this year is From Click to Progress: Youth Digital Pathways to Sustainable Development. Young people are leading the charge in adopting digital innovations, with three-quarters of Youngs 15-24 year used the internet in the world in 2022, a higher percentage than other age groups. However, gaps still exist, particularly in low-income countries and among young women, who often have less access to the internet and digital skills than their male peers. Despite the urgent need to promote digital inclusion, young people are widely recognized as “natives of the digital age”, using technology to drive change and create solutions. As the 2030 Sustainable Development Goals deadline approaches, the role of youth in digital innovation is key to meeting global challenges.
International Youth Day comes to Palestine in light of the continued Israeli aggression against Gaza Strip and the ongoing violation of human rights, including freedom of communication and expression, as part of a fierce attack by the Israeli occupation on Gaza Strip and systematic targeting of the communications and information technology sector to make Gaza Strip isolated from the world, and an attempt to obscure the facts and crimes of genocide occupation is committing. The occupation, the first of which is the assassination of the dreams of young people and their opportunities for life.
Since October 7th, 2023, the Israeli occupation forces have been waging a war of genocide against the Palestinian people in Gaza Strip along with committing massacres and destruction of buildings, facilities and infrastructure in there, in light of the lack of basic health and food services, with more than 39 thousand martyrs and about 2 million Palestinians left their homes out of about 2.2 million Palestinians who were residing in Gaza Strip on the eve of the Israeli occupation aggression. However, the longer-term damage resulting from this aggression, which will have negative and profound economic, demographic, social and psychological impacts that will affect most groups of the Palestinian people in Gaza Strip, and the expectations indicate that it will last for longer periods of time after the end of the war.
The demographic reality of the youth of Palestine on the eve of the Israeli occupation aggression
Data indicate, that on the eve of the Israeli occupation’s aggression against Gaza Strip on October 7th, 2023, about 5.6 million Palestinians were residing in the State of Palestine, including 1.2 million young aged 18-29 years, constituting 22% of the total population in Palestine at the end of 2023, this percentage in the West Bank reached about 22% compared to 21% in Gaza Strip.
Percentage distribution of the population in Palestine, End of 2023
In light of the Israeli occupation aggression, horrific numbers of martyrs and injured especially the young groups
Since the Israeli occupation aggression on October 7th, 2023, more than 39 thousand Palestinians have been martyred, constituting 1.8% of the total population of Gaza Strip, of them about 24% martyrs were young aged 18-29 years (26% males, 22% females), Several thousand Palestinians have also left Gaza Strip since the beginning of the aggression. The number of martyrs who were martyred as a result of famine reached 34 martyrs, and there are about 3,500 children at risk of death due to malnutrition and lack of food, While the number of the injured reached more than 95 thousand, 70% of whom were women and children, in addition to about 10 thousand missing persons. While the number of martyrs in the West Bank reached 620 martyrs, most of them are young and children, as the percentage of martyrs under the age of 30 reached about 75%.
The Israeli aggression affects the age structure of the population especially the young groups
Based on the data, the estimated growth rate in Gaza Strip for 2023 will decrease from about 2.7%, according to PCBS estimates for 2023, to only about 1% during 2024. After mid-2024, birth rates will decrease very significantly as a result of couples’ tendency not to have children as a result of the recent conditions, and out of fear for the health of mothers and children, in addition to the decrease in the number of new marriages after and during the Israeli occupation aggression, which reached very low levels.
It is also expected that the age and gender structure of the population will be directly affected as a result of the Israeli army’s deliberate targeting of specific groups of the population, such as children and youth, which leads to a distortion in the shape of the population pyramid, especially in its base. Knowingly, there is a long-term and medium-term impact that is expected to affect the age structure of the population, represented by a decrease in the number of births for the coming years, which constitute the base of the population pyramid as a result of the martyrdom and targeting of the age group of fertility age or that is expected to contribute to the birth of children during the coming years.
Seven martyrs out of every thousand students enrolled in higher education institutions in Gaza Strip
The number of martyrs since the beginning of the aggression among students enrolled in higher education institutions in Palestine has reached 653 students, 619 students in Gaza Strip and 34 students in the West Bank. Meanwhile, 105 workers in higher education institutions in Gaza Strip have been killed as a result of the ongoing airstrikes. The number of wounded has reached 1,406: 1,283 in Gaza Strip and 123 in the West Bank. In addition, more than 197 students enrolled in universities in the West Bank have been arrested. (Data until 06/08/2024)
88 thousand male and female students in Gaza Strip were deprived of their right to university education
As a natural reaction to the continuous bombing and violent raids on Gaza Strip and the death toll among students and staff and the destruction of the infrastructure of a significant number of universities, all higher education institutions in Gaza Strip have been closed since the beginning of the aggression and about 88 thousand male and female students were deprived of going to their universities, while about 39 thousand male and female students were deprived of their right to take the General Secondary Certificate Examination in Gaza Strip this year.
ICT is a key to economic recovery after aggression
Gaza Strip witnessed a widespread use of information and communications technology before the brutal Israeli aggression. Data from the Household Survey on Information and Communications Technology, whose data collection ended on the eve of the start of the aggression against Gaza Strip in 2023, indicated that the majority of young people use the Internet and own a smartphone. As about 97% of young people in the age group 18-29 years use the Internet from anywhere; 99% in the West Bank and 92% in Gaza Strip. The data also showed that 93% of young people owned a smartphone, with a rate of 99% in the West Bank and 83% in Gaza Strip.
The information and communications technology sector is directly linked to the livelihood and well-being of individuals and to economic growth due to its ability to provide sustainable and comprehensive opportunities for growth and income, and to expand resources and areas of work within this sector, especially in its ability to access foreign markets without being subjected to the restrictions imposed by the occupation in all areas of life, and once the aggression stops. The technology sector will be the fastest sector to restart and revive because it requires minimal resources to start, namely a laptop, electricity, and the Internet.
High rates of the youth with higher education degrees suffer high unemployment rates among them
Education is the real investment for Palestinians; given its importance on the individual and social levels. Hence, data for 2023 indicated that out of every 100 male and female youth aged 18-29 years, there are 18 youth who obtained a bachelor’s degree or higher. The female youth are the most fortunate, as 23 out of every 100 female youth obtained a bachelor’s degree or higher compared to 14 among the male youth. On the other hand, unemployment rates constitute the biggest challenge for the youth in the West Bank and Gaza Strip, as these rates in 2023 in the west Bank reached 56% among females and 34% among males. Also, the highest rates of unemployment in the West Bank among the youth aged 18-29 years were recorded among graduates, including those holding an intermediate diploma or higher (48%) with a clear gap among the male and female youth, 34% among males and 61% among females.
In Gaza Strip, the estimates in the 4th quarter of 2023 indicate that unemployment rates was 75%, with the highest unemployment rates among young people aged 18-29 at 95%. Estimates also indicated that unemployment rates among young people who hold associated diploma or higher reached about 91%.
About 152 thousand youth are employed in the informal sector
The number of the employed youth in the informal sector in West Bank in 2023 reached 152,000 employed persons, of whom 140,200 were males compared to 11,800 females. The percentage of the youth working in this sector represents about 44% of the total number of the working youth in Palestine.
Half of the youth (18- 29 years) are not engaged in employment or education/training
The percentage of the youth (18-29 years) who are not engaged in employment or education/training in West Bank in 2023 was 47%; 34% among males and 61% among females.