Ramallah – Nisaa FM – A new field study, prepared by Nisaa FM in partnership with Search for Common Ground and with the support of the Dutch Ministry of Foreign Affairs, titled “The Reality of Women and Youth Participation in Decision-Making and Peacebuilding”, has revealed significant gaps in the participation of Palestinian women and youth in decision-making positions, despite their historic and pivotal role in the national and social struggle.

The study, conducted by researcher Mohammad Shuaibi and his research team, surveyed 404 participants across five governorates (East Jerusalem, Ramallah and Al-Bireh, Jericho, Bethlehem, and Hebron). The findings showed that women’s and youth’s participation remains strong at the family and community level but diminishes to largely symbolic roles within political parties, local councils, and governmental institutions.

The results indicated that Israeli occupation policies, political division, weak legislation, and entrenched social norms all limit the ability of women and youth to influence policies and decision-making. In contrast, the study found that society places greater trust in women and youth compared to traditional political elites—yet this trust has not been translated into real leadership roles.

Key Findings:

Family level: 84% of women and 79% of youth believe they play a major role in family decision-making, with the highest rates in Hebron and Jericho, and the lowest in Jerusalem.

Community level: Only 41% of women reported having an influential role in the local community, compared to 78% of youth who expressed greater confidence in their influence.

Political parties: 22% of women believe they have an actual role within parties, compared to 50% of youth, while the remainder said participation is mostly symbolic or limited.

Government institutions: 44% of women and 42% of youth said they have a role in governmental decision-making, though the majority described this role as weak.

Civil society organizations: Only 43% of women felt they had a strong role, while 53% of youth said their participation in these organizations was very weak.

Challenges: The occupation, political division, patriarchal dominance, weak legislation, and socio-economic pressures constitute the main obstacles to participation.

Generational gap: The study observed a widening gap between youth and traditional elites, as youth remain more active in informal networks and digital platforms, while being excluded from official decision-making structures.

Recommendations:

The study put forward several recommendations, most notably:

Adopting a mandatory quota system for women and youth in legislative and local councils.

Developing specialized educational and training programs in leadership and negotiation.

Reforming legal and policy frameworks to strengthen accountability.

Supporting economic and social initiatives that enable women and youth to play a meaningful role in peacebuilding

👉 To view the full study, click here