Strengthening fair access to jobs in the West Bank

As unemployment remains high across the West Bank, thousands of people are looking for work. Families faced mounting economic pressure, while communities struggled to maintain livelihoods in increasingly difficult conditions.

How could jobs be provided quickly while still ensuring they were allocated fairly, transparently, and to those who needed them most?

Under the Social Recovery and Job Creation Project (SRJP), the Palestinian Ministry of Finance and Planning, working with the World Bank, the Ministry of Labor, and the Municipal Development and Lending Fund, moved quickly to respond. In just a matter of weeks, a new digital registration portal was launched through the Labor Management Information System (LMIS), helping unemployed people register for work remotely and transparently, with jobs offered by LGUs through community-prioritized infrastructure projects.

 For H.E. Dr. Enas Attari, Minister of Labor of the Palestinian Authority, expanding access to jobs has been a key priority in response to unprecedented economic challenges. The employment portal is helping connect people to work opportunities more quickly and transparently, while strengthening confidence that support is reaching those most in need.

Early Results — At Speed and Scale

The demand for work under the project reflects the scale of the economic crisis—but also the urgency of the response.

• More than 40,000 job seekers have registered through the portal
• Around 8,000 jobs for skilled and unskilled workers have been created
• Job placements now reach all 371 Local Government Units across the West Bank

These jobs are helping households earn income at a difficult moment while supporting local communities through labor-intensive public works and essential public services.

Importantly, the project is also creating opportunities for unemployed graduates in fields such as engineering, planning, and finance, while increasing access to the labor market for women and persons with disabilities.

H.E. Dr. Estephan Salameh, Minister of Finance and Planning of the Palestinian Authority, described the project as timely given the economic pressures facing Palestinians. He emphasized that the initiative aligns with government recovery priorities by creating jobs, supporting livelihoods and essential services, and strengthening institutional capacity in support of broader economic growth objectives.

The project’s early success has also drawn international attention. In 2025, SRJP was showcased at a United Nations conference in New York, highlighting how digital tools can help connect people to jobs quickly and fairly in fragile and conflict-affected settings.

Why Fair Access Matters

In times of crisis, how jobs are allocated matters almost as much as how many are created. When employment programs must move quickly and demand for jobs is high, fragmented hiring processes and limited data can increase the risk of exclusion, unequal access, or perceptions of favoritism. Transparent systems become especially important to ensure opportunities are allocated fairly and reach those most in need.

The LMIS portal was designed to address this challenge.

By building on the Ministry of Labor’s database of jobseekers and unemployed individuals, the system allows applicants to register remotely, verify their information, and be screened using agreed criteria such as unemployment duration and household vulnerability.

The result is a process that reduces reliance on intermediaries and helps ensure opportunities reach those most in need.

More Than a Registration Portal

The digital platform is only one part of the story.

The broader approach combines job creation with stronger systems to improve accountability and worker protection, including:

·     Direct hiring through municipalities and village councils, strengthening local accountability

·     Standard worker contracts, including insurance and labor protections

·     Grievance and feedback mechanisms, helping issues be identified and addressed early

·     Routine data tracking to monitor demand, inclusion, and gaps in real time

Together, these measures help ensure transparency does not stop at registration—but continues through implementation, supervision, and reporting.

More Jobs, Stronger Partnerships

Building on early results, the World Bank approved $57 million in additional financing in April 2026, bringing total project financing to $117 million.  To date, around 8,000 vacancies have been created, with approximately 1,200 filled as implementation continues. The additional financing is expected to double the current number of vacancies to 16,000.

The expansion will help scale up job creation and livelihood support at a time of continued economic hardship, including greater support for women and persons with disabilities.

Strong donor partnerships—particularly through contributions from Canada and the UK to the World Bank managed Palestinian Fund for Reconstruction and Development (PFRD), are helping sustain these efforts amid ongoing conflict and uncertainty.

The Bigger Lesson

The demand visible through LMIS tells a clear story: the need for jobs remains immense.

But the experience also points to a broader lesson. In times of crisis, employment programs can do more than provide income. When institutions work together—and when digital tools are paired with clear rules and accountability—they can help ensure opportunities are reaching people fairly.

As SRJP continues to scale up, the experience offers more than a successful employment program. It provides a replicable delivery model—one that can be deployed quickly, adapted for future recovery efforts, and expanded through additional financing and partnerships in the West Bank and beyond. In doing so, SRJP advances the World Bank Group’s jobs agenda by showing how crisis-response programs can create pathways to employment while strengthening institutional capacity and help support recovery.

Power cable installation by Palestinian employee. (Photo: Ahed Izhiman)