The Palestinian Central Bureau of Statistics (PCBS) announced that women will constitute approximately 49% of the total population in Palestine by the end of 2025, totaling 2.74 million women.
In a statement issued today, Sunday, on the occasion of International Women’s Day, the PCBS explained that the number of women is approximately 1.69 million in the West Bank and 1.06 million in the Gaza Strip, emphasizing that this demographic presence reflects the pivotal role of women in Palestinian society.
The data revealed that 22,057 women in the Gaza Strip have lost their husbands and become widows since the outbreak of the war, leading to an increase in the percentage of female-headed households from 12% before the war to approximately 18% during the period of aggression.
The data also showed that women’s participation in the labor force in Gaza remained at 17% during 2025, while men’s participation declined from 63% to 31%. The unemployment rate among women reached 92%, compared to 81% among men. In the West Bank, women’s participation in the labor force was approximately 19%, compared to 72% for men, while the unemployment rate among women reached 27%, compared to 28% among men.
The Palestinian Central Bureau of Statistics (PCBS) also noted a high unemployment rate among young people aged 19-29 with a diploma or higher, reaching 79%, with 86% for females and 70% for males, reflecting the widening economic gap between the sexes.
In the health sector, data showed that about 94% of health care facilities in the Gaza Strip were damaged or destroyed, while nearly 37,000 pregnant and lactating women faced acute malnutrition during the period between October 2025 and October 2026.
