Birzeit and international researchers team-up in a study to push effective policies for development
Economic Professor, and non-resident research fellow at Palestine Economic Policy Research Institute (MAS) Adel Zagha, recently participated in the "Palestine 2030, Demographic Change: Opportunities for Development" report, with the United Nations Population Fund and the Palestinian's Prime Minister Office. The report discussed the opportunities and prospects of development within the demographic changes in Palestine.
The Dean of Arts, Professor Majdi Malki, and Sociology Professor, took part in reviewing the report, along with Senior Adviser on Economics and Demography at the UNFPA Michael Hermann.
Zagha took part in the report along with two other researchers; Lead Consultant at the Institut National d’Etudes Démographiques Youssef Courbage, and Consultant at Al-Quds University Bassam Abu Hamad.
The report provided comprehensive evidence and understanding of the linkages between population dynamics and development, and where Palestine stands in terms of demographic transitions. The report also explains how population trends and dynamics play a powerful role in development and therefore must be factored into planning and policy decisions.
According to the study, the key challenge to achieving a demographic change towards development and investment, especially in the growing young and working age population, is the ongoing Israeli occupation and the severe restrictions on the movement of both people and goods, which results in highly fragmented and distorted local economies with limited capacities for growth.
At the end of the report, the study recommended that Palestine needs to ensure productive employment for its expanding labor force, and its policies should address investment in human capital and in job creation, especially for youth and women.