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Barriers to Female Labour Market Participation and Entrepreneurship in the Occupied Palestinian Territory

Samia al Botmeh

This study aims to examine the characteristics of Palestinian women’s labour market participation and entrepreneurship while focusing on the underlying factors shaping women’s work experience with a view towards suggesting policies to enhance the position of women in the labour market. For this purpose, the study starts by reviewing the theoretical and empirical literature in order to provide a conceptual framework for the research. In addition, aggregate and micro data provided by the Palestinian Central Bureau of Statistic covering the past 17 years are heavily relied upon to provide an insight into the developments taking place within the labour market, with particular emphasis on women. On the qualitative side, the research utilizes interviews (19) with relevant ministries (Ministry of Women Affairs, Ministry of Labour) Chambers of commerce, trade unions, and women NGOs to examine the factors underlying women’s involvement in the labour market and entrepreneurship.
Finally, to provide further insight into the structural determinants of women’s participation, focus group meetings were held in urban, rural and refugee camps within three governorates, Bethlehem, Ramallah and Nablus.

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Editorial Board - CDS Birzeit, Palestine

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