West Bank families led by women face greater displacement risks, OCHA says

The United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) has warned that West Bank families led by women are at a greater risk of displacement due to escalating Israeli settler violence. According to OCHA, these female-headed households are also more likely to experience chronic illnesses among household members compared to male-headed households.

OCHA estimates that approximately 83,000 households in the West Bank, which constitutes one in every eight families, are headed by women. When interviewed, nearly 90% of women who are heads of their households expressed that checkpoints make travel feel unsafe. Furthermore, more than half of these women stated that movement restrictions are hindering access to their livelihoods.

A survey conducted by UN Women revealed that 82% of women formally recognized as household heads are responsible for managing household income, while 77% are responsible for childcare. An overwhelming 75% of these women make all decisions regarding the safety of household members, and 65% handle aid registration exclusively.