In mid-2016 the total population of Palestine is estimated at 4.82 million. Youth represent 30% of this total: 37% are adolescents aged (15-19) years and 63% are young adults aged (20-29) years. While the sex ratio among youth is at 104.1 males to 100 females.
The 2015 census data of Palestinian youth shows the percentage of households headed by a young person aged (15-29 years) reached 14%, 13% of which are in the West Bank and 17% in Gaza Strip. The data also showed that 72% of households have at least one young person;71% in the West Bank and 74% in Gaza Strip.
Palestinian Youth Survey 2015, data showed that 68% of youth aged (15-29) years have not been married before, 4% were engaged for the first time, and 28% were married (16% males to 41% females), while 1% were widowed, divorced or separated. The percentage of married youth reached 26% in the West Bank compared to 32% in Gaza Strip.
According to the results of the Multiple Indicator Cluster Survey of 2014, the total fertility rate in Palestine declined to 4.1 births between (2011-2013) compared to 4.4 births in 2010. On a regional level, the total fertility rate in the West Bank was 3.7 births in the years (2011-2013) compared to 4.5 births in Gaza Strip for the same period. Females aged (25-29) years contribute to 30.1% of the total fertility rate, making them the highest contributors of all age groups.
Labor force data for the 1st quarter of 2016 showed that 41% of youth aged (15-29) years are economically active (employed and unemployed);40% in the West Bank and 42% in Gaza Strip.
While youth unemployment rate reached 39%. The highest unemployment rate was among youth aged (20-24) years reaching 43% compared to 39% for youth aged (25-29) years and 35% for youth aged (15-19) years. The highest unemployment rate among youth who have not completed any grade level reached 55%.
The unemployment rate among youth graduates was 51% in the 1st quarter of 2016. The highest unemployment rate was 64% for graduates in education and teacher training, while the lowest unemployment rate of 25% was among law graduates.
In 2015, the survey of transition of youth from school to the labour market results showed that 16% of youth people aged (15-29) years have completed the transition from education to the labor market to work in stable jobs and permanent, while 84% of young people have moved out of the labor force, or unemployed, or to the work of non-permanent temporary lasting less than 12 month
40% of youth aged (15-29) years reported interest in participating in an elections event (29% in the West Bank, compared to 57% in Gaza Strip). While 29% reported they would probably participate, 13% said they would probably not participate and 18% said they definitely would not participate (16% in the West Bank and 21% in Gaza Strip) according to Palestinian Youth Survey 2015.
In 2015, 39% of youth aged (15-29) years were enrolled in education; 82% of those are within the age group (15-17) years, 46% are in the age group (18-22) years, and 9% in the age group (23-29) years. Dropout rates (those who left the educational system before the completion of the educational stage attended) reached 34%; of which 41% are males and 27% are females. Moreover, in the year 2013-2014 dropout rate in the secondary education reached 3.7% among youth aged (15-29) years (4.2% males, 3.3% females).
Findings of the 2015 Youth Census Data showed that 88% of youth aged (17-29) years who have attended higher education had chosen their university/college themselves (90% of those males to 87% females). On the other hand, 6% of youth in that same age group attended a university chosen for them by their family. Findings also show that 6% of youth in the same age group had chosen a university/ college based on their general certificate score.
Palestinian Youth Survey 2015, Data showed that the percentage of youth (15-29) years who face difficulty/ disability was 3.6%, 3.7% in the West Bank and 3.6% in the Gaza Srip. The percentage of males with difficulty/ disability was 4.9% compared to 2.3% of females.
Palestinian Youth Survey 2015, data showed that 24% of youth smoked, 30% in the West Bank versus 14% in Gaza Strip. Gender variances were high with 41% of males smoking compared to 5% of females.
Palestinian Youth Survey 2015, data showed that youth aged (15-29) years who participated in volunteer work in the year 2014 reached 20%. 11% of those participated in non-financial charity activities (helping the poor or hardship cases), while 7% contributed to community development activities, 5% to educational activities, 6% to fundraising and 1% in other volunteer work.
Palestinian Youth Survey 2015, data shows that the percentage of youth (15-29) years who use a computer reached 70% (75% in the West Bank, compared to 62% in Gaza Strip). Of those 74% were males compared to 66% females.
Regarding knowledge and use of the Internet, Palestinian Youth Survey 2015, shows that 70% of youth (15-29) years reported they know and use the Internet compared to 23% who were aware of it but did not use it . The percentage of youth, not aware and not using this service reached 7% of total Palestinian youth. The percentage of youth who know of and use the Internet was 75% in the West Bank compared to 61% in Gaza Strip. 75% were males, while 65% were females.
Palestinian Youth Survey 2015,show that 24% of youth aged (15-29) years desire to migrate abroad and that the overall conditions in Gaza Strip play a major role in increasing the percentage of youth desiring to migrate abroad (37% in Gaza Strip and 15% in the West Bank). It should be noted that young males have a greater tendency to think of immigration (29% males, versus 18% females).
Results also show that 63% of youth (15-29 years) who wish to immigrate do not consider permanent immigration . They represented 73% in the West Bank and 56% in Gaza Strip. The percentage of females exceeded the percentage of males in their preference for temporary immigration, (62% of males, compared to 64% of females).
