PALESTINIAN SOCIETY - Fafo

countries. Casual work, unpaid work, and work rewarded in kind are
of ten omitted, even when explicitly considered as "work" in line with
survey definitions. Under-reporting of labour activity is usually
higher for women than for men, in particular in developing countries.
Married women are customarily regarded as "housewives" in Palestinian
culture, and their labour activity is normally not considered as
"employment"9.
Second, socio-cultural factors play a decisive role in shaping
labour force participation. In contrast to Western countries, Middle
Eastern culture regards labour activity primarily as a household
affairlO• There are relatively strong cultural norms goveming the
places and types of work that can be considered "acceptable" according
to sex, age and social status. The cultural dimension is particularly
important when explaining Palestinian women's lack of (formal)
labour activity.
Third, the political and economic situation obviously influences
the extent and character of actual labour force participation. The
occupied territories are subject to rather exceptional political and
economic eonditions, having been under military rule for 25 years. In
a situation eharacterized by legal restrietions, strikes and curfews, the
loeal eeonomy, and hence employment opportunities, are by necessity
constrained. The integration into the Israeli eeonomy and infrastructure
which has taken place during the years of oecupation, has
profoundly changed the labour markets of the occupied territories.
While new employment opportunities have opened up for eertain
Figure 7.2 International comparison of labour fo rce participation
ratios
Percentage in labour force
Total population
Population ........ ........ . .•. .. .. .
.... .... . . ... . ..
15 years or older "II'\:"'''II .. � ...... � ... ���� . ... �� . � . ���� : �
Male population
15 years or older
Female
population
Percentage of population below 15 years
184
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