UN Women has called for immediate action to end violence, movement restrictions and home demolitions in the West Bank, including East Jerusalem, while urging protection for women, girls and all civilians in line with international law.

The UN agency also called for dedicated support for women-headed households, including disability-inclusive assistance combining livelihoods, social protection, health, shelter and protection services.

The call came as settler violence, military operations and movement restrictions in the occupied West Bank have reached a two-decade high, reinforcing what UN Women described as a daily cycle of suffering for women and girls.

UN Women said the consequences of violence, home demolition and restrictions on movement were particularly devastating for women heading households, who often bear responsibility for household income, childcare, family safety and access to humanitarian assistance.

The agency estimates that about 83,200 households in the occupied West Bank are headed by women, representing one in eight households, although it said the figure was likely an underestimate.

More than 41,500 people have been displaced, according to OCHA data from July 2026, including more than 20,000 women and girls, based on gender population breakdowns from the Palestinian Central Bureau of Statistics (PCBS) in the West Bank.

Among formally recognised women household heads, 82 per cent are responsible for managing household income, while 77 per cent are responsible for childcare.

About 75 per cent make all decisions concerning the safety of household members, while 65 per cent handle aid registration alone.

UN Women said women-headed households were also more likely to have been displaced, with 40 per cent no longer living in their original homes, compared with 30 per cent of male-headed households.

The agency further reported that there are 925 movement obstacles across the occupied West Bank, including staffed checkpoints, road barriers and trenches, the highest number recorded in two decades.

It noted that about 40 per cent of all checkpoints are located in the H2 area of Hebron city.

Nearly nine in 10 women heading households interviewed by UN Women said checkpoints made travel feel unsafe, while more than half said movement restrictions prevented access to livelihoods.

According to the analysis, the restrictions make it difficult for women to reach work, collect humanitarian assistance, access healthcare and move their families to safety without fear.

Displaced women-headed households also reported difficulties meeting basic needs, including insufficient cash, food, clothing, hygiene supplies and shelter, alongside heightened fears of violence and concerns over the security of their children.

UN Women said one in five women household heads reported fear of gender-based violence, more than twice the rate among women in male-headed households.

It added that more than three-quarters of Palestinians in the occupied West Bank reported feeling unsafe in their daily lives.

The agency said women heading households, particularly those navigating checkpoints, collecting humanitarian assistance or moving through public spaces, were disproportionately exposed to harassment, intimidation and risks of gender-based violence.

On humanitarian assistance, UN Women said one in four women-headed households received no assistance, compared with nearly half of male-headed households.

More than half of women-headed households with chronic illness reported unmet cash needs, while two-thirds said they coped by taking out loans and half reported skipping meals altogether.

Among households receiving humanitarian assistance, cash was identified as the single largest unmet need.

More than 70 per cent of survey respondents said they had not been consulted over the past year on how, when or where humanitarian assistance should be delivered.

The analysis also found significant health-related vulnerabilities among women-headed households. Nearly two-thirds reported chronic illness among household members, compared with 41 per cent of male-headed households, while more than a quarter of women-headed households reported having a disability.

UN Women said these vulnerabilities reduced households’ capacity to generate income while increasing demand for care, medicines, transportation and health services.

The agency said it is working on the ground in Palestine with women-led organisations across the occupied West Bank, providing psychosocial support, protection services, legal assistance and access to aid.