Enhancing Women's participation in decision-making positions at the level of private sector establishments to enhance women's economic empowerment within these establishments

Explanatory Introduction

Over the past five months, the Palestine Economic Policy Research Institute (MAS) has prepared a detailed study for the Palestinian Working Woman Society for Development (PWWSD), titled “Women’s Economic Empowerment in the Private Sector: Women’s Representation and Participation in Decision-Making Positions as a Necessary Tool.” In its six chapters, the study covers a wide range of topics related to women’s empowerment, such as women’s participation in the Palestinian labor market, their work in the informal sector and unpaid care work, in addition to their participation in decision-making positions. The study also included a descriptive and diagnostic analysis of women’s participation in the labor market, a qualitative analysis of women’s entrepreneurship and a quantitative
analysis on economic violence, in addition to other topics related to women’s empowerment. 

One of the study’s chapters contains a detailed and comprehensive presentation of the research findings, and each policy summary will focus on one of the study’s main themes and present key recommendations that would enhance women’s economic empowerment. 

Brief Background 

Women rarely occupy senior positions in private sector institutions and companies, including those engaged in women’s entrepreneurship. Women are also absent from boards of directors and executive management. The importance of women’s representation in the private sector is heightened when considering the impact of this lack of representation on the rights of working women, especially in light of the Palestinian social and cultural context characterized by patriarchy, which in turn impacts the decisionmaking process within these institutions. 

Given the importance of women’s presence on boards of directors, as it plays a vital role in creating an encouraging and economically stimulating work
environment that contributes to women’s empowerment, it is imperative to address the non-material causes underlying women’s underrepresentation.