Mechanisms to Confront Institutional Economic Violence in the Private Sector - Policy Paper 3

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  

Economic violence does not only refer to violence perpetrated by a husband against his wife. Women in the labor market also suffer from economic violence within the establishments and institutions in which they work. Consequently, women’s employment does not automatically lead to empowerment or economic independence. In the same context, we find that one of the most prominent motivations for women to join the informal labor market is its flexibility, which enables women to combine their domestic and childcare roles with paid work, making it a preferred option for many. 

However, studies indicate that women’s work, driven by necessity, often leaves room for exploitation, inequality, and erosion of rights. Many women work without formal contracts that guarantee their rights, absence of occupational safety and health procedures and neglect of work-related Policy Paper (3): Women’s Economic Empowerment in the Private Sector injuries. This leaves women vulnerable to being fired and easily replaced through the contracting system. Moreover, according to literature reviews, the exclusion of women from decision-making positions, and their monopoly by men, does not contribute to strengthening internal systems that support equality or provide privileges to women. Therefore, it is important to place these findings within the context of women’s limited presence in decisionmaking positions. Therefore, this summary seeks to develop policy visions for mechanisms to address the institutional economic violence women face in the private sector.