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

Green Skills for Youth: Towards a Sustainable World

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 United Nations defines the youth as the individuals in the age group (15-24 years) with the possibility of adjusting this category according to the specificity and need of each country. In this press release, the Palestinian Central Bureau of Statistics (PCBS) considered the youth in Palestine as the individuals in the age group (18-29 years).

The youth are the most vital and productive segments of society, and they are entrusted with playing an important and major role in recovery from crises and challenges, and the goal approved by the United Nations on this occasion in this year is the importance of developing youth skills suitable for the green economy in achieving a sustainable world. Today, the world is embarking on a green transition. The shift towards an environmentally sustainable and climate-friendly world is critical not only for responding to the global climate crisis but also for achieving the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). A successful transition towards a greener world will depend on the development of green skills in the population. Green skills are “knowledge, abilities, values and attitudes needed to live in, develop and support a sustainable and resource-efficient society”.

Due to their interdisciplinary nature, the essence of green skills is sometimes expressed, partly if not wholly, through other associated terms such as “skills for the future” and “skills for green jobs”. While green skills are relevant for people of all ages, they have becoming increasingly important for younger people, who can contribute to the green transition for a longer period of time.

High rates of the youth with higher education degrees and high unemployment rates

Education is the real investment for Palestinians; given its importance on the individual and social levels. Hence, data for 2022 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 13 among the male youth. On the other hand, unemployment rates constitute the biggest challenge for the youth, as these rates reached 59% among females and 32% among males, and were the highest in Gaza Strip compared to the West Bank (75% and 30%, respectively). Also, the highest rates of unemployment among the youth aged 18-29 years were recorded among graduates, including those holding an intermediate diploma or higher (48%) with a clear difference between the male and female youth, 34% among males and 61% among females.

About 149 thousand youth are employed in the informal sector

The number of the employed youth in the informal sector in 2022 reached 148,700 employed persons, of whom 135,500 were males compared to 13,200 females. The percentage of the youth working in this sector represents about 43% 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 2022 was 47% (37% in the West Bank compared with 60% in Gaza Strip); 31% among males and 63% among females.

A youth society

The percentage of the youth (18-29 years) in Palestine was about 22% (1.19 million) of the total population in mid-2023 (22% in the West Bank and 21% in Gaza Strip). Whilst the sex ratio was 104 males per 100 females.

Percentage distribution of the population in Palestine, mid-2023

One out of ten households was headed by a youth

Data for 2022 indicated that 7% of households was headed by a youth in Palestine, 8% for males and 1.4% for females. This percentage was equal at region level at 7% for both the West Bank and Gaza Strip.

Disappearance of illiteracy among the youth

The illiteracy rate among the youth (18-29 years) in Palestine for 2022 decreased to about 0.6% with the same rate for both the West Bank and Gaza Strip, while it was 1.1% in 2007 (1.1% in the West Bank and 1.2% in Gaza Strip).

A decrease in the percentage of early marriage

The percentage of the female youth (20-24 years) who got married before reaching the age of 18 decreased to about 13 females per 100 females in 2020 (12% in the West Bank and about 17% in Gaza Strip), compared to 37 females per 100 females in 2010.

About one third of the youth are smokers

The percentage of the youth (18-29 years old) who smoke in 2021 reached about 31% (43% in the West Bank and 13% in Gaza Strip), while the percentage of the male youth who smoke was about 54% compared to 7% among females.

Percentage of Smoking Habit in Palestine among the Youth 18-29 Years Old,

 by Sex, 2021

The majority of the youth use the internet and own smartphone

Data of the Labour Force Survey, 2022 showed that 95% of the youth (18-29 year) used the internet from anywhere (98% in the West Bank and 92% in Gaza Strip), while the percentage of the male youth who used the internet from anywhere was about 95% compared to 96% among females. In addition, 90% of the youth, own a smartphone (97% in the West Bank and 80% in Gaza Strip); 90% among males and 91% among females.