The conference “Women in Industry and Innovation”

 

 

 

(1)

Excellency Mr. Li Yong

Distinguished delegates

Ladies and gentlemen

I am pleased to be representing state of Palestine, and addressing the Excellencies and every one participating at the UNIDO conference: Women In industry and Innovation.

I start by thanking HE. The Director General Mr. LI- Yong for his invitation to join this conference.

Women’s economic empowerment is fundamental to realize women’s rights and gender equality. The acquisition of knowledge and skills, as well as participation of women as entrepreneurs, and in the labor force on an equal footing with men, are crucial to ensure their inclusive and sustainable social and economic development.

(2)

The government of Palestine has put in place a set of policies and tools, to ensure the increase of women participation in the labor force in Palestine into a new level, increasing their participation from the current level of 17%.

Although, we have women participation in government, private sector leadership and local communities, increasing on continuous basis, we are taking all measures to ensure women are empowered to assume their full potential engagement into all sorts of productive sectors for the development of the socio economic standards in Palestine.

The current challenges faced by women in the wake of the COVID-19 outbreak, only confirm the importance of effectively empowering women, and strengthening the ecosystems within which they can operate in order to improve their resilience, and reduce the economic shocks and consequences.

(3)

In Fact, In Palestine, we are very proud the minister of health leading the government response to the COVID 19 pandemic, is a woman.

During the pandemic, surveys were conducted to measure the impact of the ongoing crisis of COVID19 on women led MSMEs in PALESTINE. On conclusion;

 95% of Palestinian women reported that their businesses are being negatively impacted by the Pandemic.

27% of women`s business were shut down.

73% of women reported that they could only sustain their businesses during the current situation from one to four months.

53% of women reported that they are considering laying off their employees.

(4)

In our efforts to face the challenges created by the COVID 19 crisis, my ministry continues to work closely with UNIDO and all partner and stakeholder, on emergency policy intervention, and rapid technical response, to ensure proper supply of critical needs during the pandemic, and provide early assistance packages to industry; including a special fund that was created to support women led business survivals throughout this crisis.

We strongly believe that industrialization can significantly promote structural change, generate employment and facilitate more efficient use of resources.

(5)

We are actually going to be inaugurating together, with Japan and UNIDO, the one of its kind creative fashion design center in the next days. This center will provide its services at the national level, noting that 85% of its beneficiaries are Palestinian women designers and entrepreneurs in Palestine and diaspora.

Ministry of National Economy, UNIDO and our partners, continue to support and enable women led private sector and SMES, through several interventions including the extension of technical support for the repurposing of industries and the expansion of production capacities for key sectors, including through digitization.

(6)

We look forward to supporting the new value chains selected through this regional project; ICT and Dates at the national level and position, interventions to practically engage women into supporting further development of national value chains.

We thank you again and look forward to engaging in the conference activities and receive its recommendations.