In Gaza, Women Struggle For Economic Role

Mona Ghalayini is one of the few women in the Gaza Strip who has managed to join the world of business and the economy, for many years a preserve of Palestinian men. Gaza is home to a conservative society that does not give women much space, but some women, like Ghalayini, have nonetheless managed to establish themselves in business despite societal prohibitions and economic hardship in Gaza.

Ghalayini, 42, began her career as a restaurant employee in Gaza following the establishment of the Palestinian Authority. When the restaurant closed, she decided to start her own business. After obtaining funding from a lending institution, she leased a hotel in Gaza with two partners. She also ran a restaurant by herself for a number of years, and it became quite successful. She later opened the first fast-food restaurant in Gaza City, which also met with great success. This encouraged Ghalayini to continue her climb up the ladder and to eventually open one of the most upscale restaurants in Gaza. Slightly more than a year ago, she established a hotel on the coast with a $2 million investment, a move Ghalayini described as a "risk" in light of the current economic situation in Gaza.