ILO and partners mobilize support for Palestinian jobs and recovery

GENEVA (ILO News) – The International Labour Organization (ILO) and development partners called for increased investment in employment-led recovery in the Occupied Palestinian Territory (OPT), where war and economic disruption have devastated livelihoods and eliminated hundreds of thousands of jobs.

The appeal came at a high-level partners’ meeting at ILO headquarters, convened by Director-General Gilbert F. Houngbo with the State of Qatar and the Kingdom of the Netherlands. Governments, workers’ and employers’ organizations, UN agencies and development partners discussed support for the next phase of ILO assistance under the Decent Work and Recovery Programme (DWRP) 2026–2029.

At the meeting, Italy announced a pledge of €5 million towards implementation of the DWRP, bringing the total resources mobilized over the past year for the programme to approximately US$9 million. This total also includes contributions and funding commitments from other development partners, some of which are subject to agreements being finalized, as well as an allocation of US$700,000 from ILO internal resources.

In Gaza, 252,000 jobs were lost between the third quarters of 2023 and 2025, unemployment reached 85.1 per cent and labour income losses totalled US$2.77 billion. West Bank unemployment stood at 27.9 per cent in the second quarter of 2026, amid movement restrictions and economic contraction. Women and young people face particularly limited prospects.

“Behind every job lost is a person, a family and a future placed at risk,” said ILO Director-General Gilbert F. Houngbo. “We have shown that investments in jobs, enterprises and social protection can make a difference even in extreme conditions. But needs far exceed available resources. We must scale up investments to create decent work and restore hope for Palestinian workers and businesses.”

© ILO/ Alioune Ndiaye

Building on demonstrated results

Over the past three years, the ILO has supported emergency employment, enterprise recovery, social protection and stronger labour institutions under the previous Decent Work Programme for the OPT and the complementary Emergency Response Plan. With Palestinian partners, it helped generate approximately 130,000 paid workdays while restoring essential infrastructure and services, and supported businesses to preserve jobs and cooperatives to improve services. ILO technical assistance also contributed to rights-based social allowances reaching over 30,000 older persons and persons with disabilities. Its work strengthened workers’ and employers’ organizations, labour law reform, social dialogue and labour market governance.

The ILO expressed its gratitude for the contributions of the European Union and the governments of Belgium, Italy, the Netherlands, Indonesia, Japan, Spain, Kuwait and Wallonia to its work in the OPT.

A new framework for recovery: a call for investments

The ILO and Palestinian tripartite partners are finalizing the DWRP 2026–2029 which prioritizes employment and enterprise recovery, social protection, and labour market governance and social dialogue, with a focus on women, youth and persons with disabilities.

Ten priority project proposals accompanying the DWRP identify approximately US$50 million in basic investment needs.

Meeting participants called on international partners to increase their financial support for the DWRP, emphasizing that substantial investment is still needed to implement the proposed interventions at scale.

Minister of Labour of the State of Palestine Enas Dahadha Attari stressed the need for recovery to deliver tangible results. “Recovery must restore incomes and revive businesses, not just infrastructure. Our institutions, employers and trade unions must lead in shaping the response. The new programme reflects Palestinian priorities and offers a framework to turn international support into concrete improvements in people’s lives.”

“Supporting Palestinians to rebuild livelihoods is a priority for Qatar and a shared international responsibility,” said Minister of Labour of the State of Qatar Ali bin Samikh Al Marri. “Sustained partnerships and investment in skills, jobs and enterprise recovery will be essential to rebuilding economic opportunity.”

Erica Schouten, Ambassador and Permanent Representative of the Kingdom of the Netherlands to the United Nations and other international organizations in Geneva, stressed the importance of achieved results: “The ILO and Palestinian partners have shown that targeted support can protect jobs and sustain enterprises. Through coordinated, accountable investments we can deliver tangible benefits.”

“Humanitarian assistance alone cannot restore livelihoods, essential services, or the institutional foundations needed for sustainable recovery," said United Nations Resident and Humanitarian Coordinator for the OPT Ramiz Alakbarov. "The United Nations is working with Palestinian partners to advance a coordinated, Palestinian-led recovery that restores dignity, strengthens institutions, and creates the conditions for long-term resilience and stability. The ILO's contribution to decent work and social protection is an important part of that collective effort."

Following the meeting, the ILO will engage with development partners to translate expressions of support into concrete financial commitments and operational partnerships, while continuing to work closely with Palestinian tripartite constituents to advance implementation of the DWRP. Priority will be given to mobilizing the additional resources needed to scale up employment and enterprise recovery interventions, and strengthening coordination with the UN system to ensure that investments deliver measurable results for Palestinian workers, businesses and communities.

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