PALESTINIAN SOCIETY - Fafo

participation. Measurement problems do not, however, provide a
plausible explanation for the observed regional differences in adult
male labour force participation.
As for measurement problems, cultural norms cannot explain the
regional differences in male . labour activity satisfactorily either.
While the cultural norms influencing women's labour activity may
vary among regions, there are no restrictive norms in respect to the
labour activity for adult males. On the contrary, adult males regardless
of area of residence, are explicitly expected to generate economic
resources for their families through labour activity.
It is reasonable, therefore, to think that overall differences in male
labour force participation betweenregions and socio-economic groups
are due to ecofzomic and politicalfa ctors, ratherthan agecomposition,
measurement problems and cultural factors. While economic and
political factors hardly can be measured directly, there are many
indicators which support this hypothesis. Variations in male labour
force participation are very similar to the variations in household
wealth, as pointed out and diseussed in the household economy
chapter. In Arab Jerusalem and the central parts of the West Bank,
employment opportunities are relatively good (outside camps) 14. The
local economy seems to be able to absarb most individuals seeking
work. The reasons for non-activity among males, it transpires, are
primarily education, i.e. lack of work compatible with training and
status, sickness and old age. Labour activity is found to be at its lowest
in Gaza and in refugeecamps, i.e. the
Figure 7. 5 Male labour fo rce participation ra-
environments moststronglyaffected
tios by refugee status
by the Israeli occupation 15. Figure
..-------------=�--..., 7.5 illustrates the effect of refugee
Percent • Gaza
1 status on adult male labour force
Non-refugees Refugees
in camp
Refugees
outside camp
[J West Bank
participation. In Gaza labour force
participation among refugees is low,
regardless of whether they live inside
or outside camps. In the West
Bank, by contrast, labour force participation
is higher and there are small
variations in labour force participati
on according to refugee status.
In Gaza, traditional industries like
agriculture seem to have been unable
to absorb the huge number of refugeesl6•
The development of altema-
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