Palestinian women’s economic empowerment push

In late July 2026, the Palestinian Ministry of Women’s Affairs, led by Minister Mona Khalili, embarked on a series of field trips to advance women‑led economic projects in the West Bank.

On 23 July, Khalili and a delegation visited Jenin Governorate, meeting local officials and the Palestinian Women’s Union. The visit highlighted how settlement expansion and damaged infrastructure strain families, and introduced a training programme for women‑run institutions financed by the Italian Development Cooperation Agency. The ministry’s plan aims to prepare these organisations for sustainable financing and to link economic participation with greater political involvement ahead of upcoming elections.

Four days later, Khalili traveled to Bethlehem to launch a broader economic initiative targeting NGOs and small enterprises run by women. The programme provides funding, capacity‑building and technical assistance, including training in digital marketing, e‑commerce and artificial‑intelligence tools. Khalili stressed the shift from emergency relief to long‑term development, noting heightened pressures on West Bank women after recent escalations and settlement activity. The Bethlehem launch complements similar projects planned for Hebron and anticipates further international donor support to expand women’s labour‑market participation and community resilience.