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SvennoJ on 09 March 2026
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War in Gaza increases number of widows and deepens female unemployment, statistics show

https://www.middleeastmonitor.com/20260309-war-in-gaza-increases-number-of-widows-and-deepens-female-unemployment-statistics-show/

The Palestinian Central Bureau of Statistics has warned that the ongoing war has significantly worsened the social and economic conditions of women in Gaza, increasing the number of widows, deepening unemployment and severely damaging the health sector.

In a statement issued on Sunday to mark International Women’s Day, the bureau said women are expected to constitute around 49 per cent of the total population in Palestine by the end of 2025, amounting to approximately 2.74 million women.

Of these, around 1.69 million live in the West Bank and 1.06 million in the Gaza Strip, highlighting what the bureau described as the central role of women in Palestinian society.

According to the data, 22,057 women in Gaza have lost their husbands since the start of the war, increasing the proportion of female-headed households from 12 per cent before the conflict to around 18 per cent during the war.

The report also highlighted severe labour market disparities. Women’s participation in Gaza’s labour force remained at 17 per cent in 2025, while men’s participation dropped sharply from 63 per cent to 31 per cent. The unemployment rate among women reached 92 per cent, compared with 81 per cent among men.

In the West Bank, women’s labour force participation stood at about 19 per cent, compared with 72 per cent for men, while unemployment rates were 27 per cent for women and 28 per cent for men.

Among young people aged 19 to 29 with a diploma or higher, unemployment reached 79 per cent, including 86 per cent for women and 70 per cent for men, reflecting what the bureau described as a widening economic gap between the sexes.



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