عربي
H.E. Dr. Awad, highlights the Palestinian children's situation on the occasion of the Palestinian Child Day, 05/04/2023.
H.E. Dr. Ola Awad, President of the Palestinian Central Bureau of Statistics (PCBS), highlighted the Palestinian children's situation on the occasion of the Palestinian Child Day on Wednesday 05/04/2023:
Almost half of the Palestinian society are children
The estimated number of children (under 18 years) is expected to be 2.39 million in Palestine by mid-2023; 1.22 million males and 1.17 million females. Children in Palestine represent about 44% of the total population (41% in the West Bank, and 47% in Gaza Strip).
Number of Children by Age Group, Region, and Sex, Mid-2023
|
Age Group |
West Bank |
Gaza Strip |
||
|
Males |
Females |
Males |
Females |
|
|
0-4 |
210,329 |
202,865 |
171,595 |
165,462 |
|
5-9 |
195,187 |
185,309 |
145,276 |
139,182 |
|
10-14 |
181,185 |
172,520 |
141,660 |
135,532 |
|
15-17 |
101,809 |
97,684 |
75,469 |
72,224 |
|
Total |
=SUM(ABOVE) 688,510 |
=SUM(ABOVE) 658,378 |
=SUM(ABOVE) 534,000 |
=SUM(ABOVE) 512,400 |
Registered marriage contracts for females under the age of 18 are higher in Gaza Strip than in the West Bank
Data showed that there is a decline in the percentage of early marriage (under the age of 18) for both sexes, where it reached about 12% of the total number of registered marriages among females in 2021 (6% in the West Bank and 19% in Gaza Strip) compared with 24% in 2010. Whereas, the percentage of early marriage among males under the age of 18 years reached 0.4% of the total number of registered marriages in 2021 compared to 2% in 2010.
Continuous Israeli violations against Palestinian children
150 children were detained in the Israeli prisons and 56 martyred children in 2022
Data of the annual report issued by the prisoners institutions[1], 2022, indicated that the number of detention cases reached 7,000 cases during 2022, of whom 4,700 Palestinian prisoners and detainees are still in the Israeli prisons. The number of detention cases for children )under the age of 18( reached 882 cases, of whom 150 children are still in the Israeli prisons, including 7 children who are administratively detained, where they live in conditions that violate the rules of international law and the Convention on the Rights of the Child and in a state of deprivation of their childhood, as well as the deprivation of continuing their studies, 56 children were martyred in 20221, and 17 children were martyred until April 1st, 2023[2]
About a quarter of the population in Palestine are school students
The number of school students for the scholastic year 2022/2023 in Palestine reached about 1.388 million students, out of which 1.116 million were students in elementary stage (51% males and 49% females), and 272 thousand students in the secondary stage (45% males and 55% females).
Child labour in the age group (10-17 years) in the West Bank is higher than in Gaza Strip
Data showed that the percentage of employed children (paid or unpaid) reached about 3% of the total number of children (10-17 years) in 2022: 5% in the West Bank and 1% in Gaza Strip (6% male children and 0.3% female children). Moreover, the percentage of children enrolled in schools and engaged in the labour market reached 1% (2% in the West Bank and 0.4% in Gaza Strip). As for gender distribution, the percentage was 2% among male children and 0.2% among female children during 2022.
53% of children aged (10-17 years) working in Palestine are wage employees, and the percentage of those working as unpaid family members reached 37%.
About nine out of every ten children use the Internet at the age (10-17 years) in Palestine
About nine out of every ten children (89%) in the age group (10-17 years) use the Internet, 94% in the West Bank and 82% in Gaza Strip. This percentage was equal for both male and female children, reaching about 89% during 2022.
About four out of every ten children (39%) in the age group (10-17 years) own a mobile phone, 54% in the West Bank and 19% in Gaza Strip. At the gender level, the ratio was 44% for males compared to 34% for females during 2022.
Electronic violence and violence through communications against children
About 10% of children (12-17 years) in Palestine were exposed to a form of electronic violence through a social media; at a percentage of 11% in the West Bank, and 9% in Gaza Strip during 2019.
About 3% of children (12-17 years) were exposed to violence through communications (i.e. threats, extortion/blackmailing, or harassment of various persons or parties through calls or messages) in Palestine; 3% in the West Bank, 2% in Gaza Strip during 2019.