Palestinian Central Bureau of Statistics (PCBS) reported Tuesday that the number of the unemployed persons in the Occupied Palestinian Territory (OPT) increased by 7.8% between 2sd quarter 2006 and 3rd quarter 2006.
In a press release on labour force survey results, PCBS said that the percentage of persons who don't work nevertheless seeking or not seeking job, increased from 28.6% in the 2sd quarter 2006 to 30.3% in the 3rd quarter 2006, compared with 20.2% in the 3rd quarter 2000.
The PCBS statistics, depends on ILO standards, revealed that the percentage of participants in labour force increased by 1.0% between the 2sd quarter and the 3rd quarter 2006, where it increased from 40.9% in the 2sd quarter 2006 to 41.3% in the 3rd quarter 2006, compared with 43.5% in the 3rd quarter 2000.
It mentioned that the participation rate of women increased from 13.7% in the 2sd quarter 2006 to 13.9% in the 3rd quarter 2006, the change rate is 1.5% (the number increased by 3 thousand women).
"The percentage of persons who don't work, but seeking job increased from 22.9% in the 2sd quarter 2006 to 24.2% in the 3rd quarter 2006, compared with 10.0% in the 3rd quarter 2000, (before the beginning of Al-Aqsa Intifada)," it said.
The results showed that unemployment rate in the West Bank increased from 18.0% in the 2sd quarter 2006 to 19.1% in the 3rd quarter 2006, also in Gaza Strip it increased from 34.0% in the 2sd quarter 2006 to 36.3% in the 3rd quarter 2006. "Despite of that unemployment rate in Gaza Strip still high."
The results showed that the highest percentage of unemployment concentrated among the youth, the highest percentage registered for the age group 20-24 it reached 38.7% ,32.3% in the West Bank compared with 53.7% in Gaza Strip, followed by 15-19 age group it reached 32.6%, thereof 28.0% in the West Bank and 49.2% in Gaza Strip, then 25-29 group, it reached 25.9%, 20.5% in the West Bank compared with 37.1% in Gaza Strip.
