September 4, 2015
Palestine
In Palestine, the majority of young people and women, especially, do not have any chance to find a decent job after twelve years of going to school. Choosing an unsuitable field of study is only one part of the problem. Therefore, Caritas Czech Republic supports employment of socially disadvantaged groups, youth and women, in the country.
According to a survey of unemployment rate conducted by Palestinian Central Bureau of Statistics in 2013, women aged 15 to 24 ranked among the most critical groups. Their unemployment rate reached 64.7%. Women between 25 and 34 years old had an unemployment rate of 48%. As for men, there were 36.9% unemployed in the first group (15 to 24 years old) and 18.1% for men aged between 25 to 34. The median for both sexes was 41% for young people aged 15 to 24 years and 25.2% for those between 25 and 34 year old.
Yet the Palestinian job market offers various opportunities depending on the location. In Ramallah, for example, there is a big demand for hospitality services, followed by vendors, seamstresses, make-up artists, and hairdressers as well as for financial and management specialists. Jericho, on the contrary, welcomes industrial workers, then financial and managements specialists, farmers, breeders, and craftsmen.
It seems that the biggest obstacle lies in the system of education, which can neither prepare students for future employment nor motivate students to think about the future. Most 10th graders said they would like a job in a medical or engineering field. The third most common answer to a question regarding their preferred job in the future was “I don’t know”.
Another problem is that young unemployed citizens hesitate too long before they start looking for their first job. Many high school and university students and absolvents do not start searching for a job during their studies, often not even after graduation.
Charity Jerusalem conducted research which showed that available short-term courses provide only shallow knowledge. Participants do not increase their value on the job market and their chances to find a better job with higher salaries are minimal. Therefore, the charity advised to introduce long-term vocational courses that would make it easier to find internships and full-time jobs.
Caritas Czech Republic originally planned to offer requalification courses with cooperation of Charity Jerusalem for socially disadvantaged and graduates on the autonomous Palestinian territories. Plans changed after a more thorough insight into the regional labor market. During September, the charity will open from six to twelve certified vocational courses and specialized courses for women. Career advising will be offered to women with the highest levels of unemployment as well as for all graduates without discrimination.
