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By Palestinian Central Bureau of Statistics
226,000 Palestinian households lost more than 50% of their usual
income and about 22.6% of Households in Gaza Strip Suffered from
Highly Critical Living Conditions
The PCBS (Palestinian Central Bureau of Statistics) conducted the
9th round of the survey on the impact of Israeli measures on the
economic conditions of the Palestinian households. Data collection
was conducted during the Second Quarter 2004.
The main objective of the survey is to continue monitoring the
economic conditions of the Palestinian households and their
standards of living as the Israeli measures continued against the
PNA and the Palestinian people. This round of the survey is based on
a random sample of 3,908 households, of which 3,398 households
completed the interview. The completed interviews are distributed by
region as 2,228 in the West Bank and 1,170 in the Gaza Strip.
Household’s income - Results indicate that the median monthly income
in the Palestinian Territory has decreased from NIS 2,500 (620 USD/706
EURO) before Al Aqsa Intifada to NIS 1,600 (355 USD/289 EURO) during
the 2nd Quarter 2004. This decrease varies by region. The median
monthly income decreased in the West Bank from NIS 3,000 (744 USD/847
EURO) to NIS 2,000 (444 USD/361 EURO) while in the Gaza Strip it
decreased from NIS 1,500 (372 USD/423 EURO) to NIS 1,200 (266 USD/216
EURO).
Results of the survey indicate that 59.7% (362,000 households) of
the Palestinian households decreased their income during Al-Aqsa
Intifada, of which 62.5% (226,000 households) lost more than 50% of
their usual income during Al-Aqsa Intifada, while 63.3% (159,000
households) of the households decreased their income in the West
Bank compared with 52.3% (67,000 households) in Gaza Strip.
The Income Sources - Results of the survey indicate that the main
income source of the Palestinian households during 2nd Quarter 2004
was wages and salaries from the private sector, (30.7%), followed by
wages and salaries from public sector employment (19.9%) and from
households projects (14.2%).
Coping Strategies - The results indicated that during year 2003,
58.2% of the households (353,000 households) in the Palestinian
Territory reduced there expenditure on basic needs, 59.5% in the
West Bank and 55.4% in Gaza Strip.
The results indicate also that 78.0% of the households took various
coping measures during year 2003 depending on the monthly family
income. This was manifested in delaying payment of bills by 69.4%
and reduced expenditure by 58.7%.
The survey indicates that 31.2% of the households in the West Bank
can cope with the situation for more than one year, comparing with
26.8% in Gaza Strip. 22.6% of the households in Gaza Strip, and
11.7% in the West Bank suffered from highly critical living
conditions.
Humanitarian aid - Results show that 21.2% of interviewed households
(128,000 households) reported that they received humanitarian
assistance during the 2nd Quarter 2004, of which 18.2% in the West
Bank and 27.2% in Gaza Strip.
On the other hand, 71.8% of the households (435,000 households)
reported that they need assistance, of which 71.7% in the West Bank
and 71.9% in Gaza Strip. About 13.1% of the households receiving
humanitarian aid reported that the total amount of assistance
received is less than NIS 100, while 39.5% of them have received
less than NIS 200, 58.2% have received less than NIS 300. However,
the frequency of providing the assistance for households, PNA
institutions (including Ministry of Social Affairs) are rated at the
highest rank at 28.8%, then comes UNRWA by 25.6%, while relatives by
14.3%, and labor unions by 10.0%. The results reveal also that 52.8%
of the total assistance is provided in the form of food supplies,
and 28.6% in cash.
Priority Needs of Households - The results reveal that 38.4% of
households reported the need for food as top priority during 2nd
Quarter 2004, while 19.9 of households reported the need for work,
and 18.9% of households expressed the need for money, and 9.0% of
households expressed the need for education as their first priority,
and 6.4% of households expressed the need for medicine as their
first priority.
Access to Health Services - The results indicate that 45.3% of the
households have access problem to health services because of the
high cost of medical treatment, 40.1% due to the Israeli closure,
38.3% of households because of military checkpoint, and 8.9% of
households because of the expansion and annexation wall.
As a social/pastoral organization of the Catholic Church working in
the Holy Land since 1967, Caritas Jerusalem wishes to reiterate the
need for immediate humanitarian interventions in the Palestinian
territories. These should include job creation programs,
micro-lending, short and long term medical assistance, humanitarian
social assistance, assistance to secure needed medicines and tuition
assistance.
Source: PCBS
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