Contributing family workers, female (% of female employment) in Africa Western and Central
Africa Western and Central: Contributing family workers, female (% of female employment) was 15.9% in 2025. ▼ Falling
Contributing family workers, female (% of female employment) in Africa Western and Central, 1991–2025
Source: ILO Modelled Estimates database (ILOEST), International Labour Organization (ILO).
Analysis
The most recent figure for contributing family workers, female (% of female employment) in Africa Western and Central is 15.9%, measured in 2025. That is the lowest value across all 35 years on record.
Compared with earlier readings it is down 1.1% on the previous year and down 8.6% over ten years.
Over the whole period, contributing family workers, female (% of female employment) in Africa Western and Central peaked at 22.7% in 1996 and was at its lowest, 15.9%, in 2025.
That places Africa Western and Central 23rd out of 47 groups with data for 2025, putting it in the middle of the range.
The long-run direction has been consistently falling across the 35 years of available data.
Contributing family workers, female (% of female employment) in Africa Western and Central, year by year
| Year | Value | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1991 | 22.4% | — |
| 1992 | 22.4% | +0.1% |
| 1993 | 22.4% | +0.2% |
| 1994 | 22.5% | +0.3% |
| 1995 | 22.6% | +0.5% |
| 1996 | 22.7% | +0.2% |
| 1997 | 22.6% | -0.1% |
| 1998 | 22.5% | -0.6% |
| 1999 | 22.4% | -0.5% |
| 2000 | 22.2% | -0.9% |
| 2001 | 22.0% | -0.8% |
| 2002 | 21.8% | -1.1% |
| 2003 | 21.5% | -1.3% |
| 2004 | 21.2% | -1.6% |
| 2005 | 20.8% | -1.5% |
| 2006 | 20.5% | -1.5% |
| 2007 | 20.2% | -1.4% |
| 2008 | 19.9% | -1.7% |
| 2009 | 19.5% | -1.9% |
| 2010 | 19.2% | -1.8% |
| 2011 | 18.8% | -2.2% |
| 2012 | 18.5% | -1.4% |
| 2013 | 18.0% | -2.5% |
| 2014 | 17.8% | -1.4% |
| 2015 | 17.4% | -2.1% |
| 2016 | 17.3% | -0.6% |
| 2017 | 16.7% | -3.6% |
| 2018 | 16.5% | -1.1% |
| 2019 | 16.2% | -1.6% |
| 2020 | 16.3% | +0.4% |
| 2021 | 16.2% | -0.5% |
| 2022 | 16.5% | +2.0% |
| 2023 | 16.2% | -1.8% |
| 2024 | 16.1% | -0.9% |
| 2025 | 15.9% | -1.1% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1990s | 22.5% | 22.4% | 22.7% | 9 |
| 2000s | 21.0% | 19.5% | 22.2% | 10 |
| 2010s | 17.6% | 16.2% | 19.2% | 10 |
| 2020s | 16.2% | 15.9% | 16.5% | 6 |
Countries ranked near Africa Western and Central
- 20 India 31.6% compare
- 21 Papua New Guinea 30.3% compare
- 22 Haiti 29.4% compare
- 23 Cote d'Ivoire 28.2% compare
- 24 North Korea 28.1% compare
- 25 Sudan 27.2% compare
- 26 Democratic Republic of Congo 26.4% compare
More work & labour data for Africa Western and Central
- Labor force participation rate for ages 15-24, female (%) 49.9% (2025)
- Labor force participation rate, male (% of male population ages 15+) 77.3% (2025)
- Labor force participation rate, total (% of total population ages 15+) 72.3% (2025)
- Ratio of female to male labor force participation rate (%) 87.9% (2025)
- Labor force participation rate for ages 15-24, male (%) 54.5% (2025)
- Labor force participation rate, female (% of female population ages) 68.5% (2025)
- Labor force participation rate, female (% of female population ages) 67.3% (2025)
- Labor force participation rate, total (% of total population ages) 73.3% (2025)
- Labor force participation rate, male (% of male population ages 15-64) 78.0% (2025)
- Labor force participation rate for ages 15-24, total (%) 52.2% (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is contributing family workers, female (% of female employment) in Africa Western and Central?
- Contributing family workers, female (% of female employment) in Africa Western and Central was 15.9% in 2025, according to ILO Modelled Estimates database (ILOEST), International Labour Organization (ILO).
- What is the highest contributing family workers, female (% of female employment) recorded in Africa Western and Central?
- The highest recorded value was 22.7% in 1996.
- What is the lowest contributing family workers, female (% of female employment) recorded in Africa Western and Central?
- The lowest recorded value was 15.9% in 2025.
- How does Africa Western and Central rank for contributing family workers, female (% of female employment)?
- Africa Western and Central ranks 23rd out of 47 groups with data for 2025.
- Is contributing family workers, female (% of female employment) rising or falling in Africa Western and Central?
- Over the last ten years it is down 8.6%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
- Where does this Africa Western and Central data come from?
- The figures come from ILO Modelled Estimates database (ILOEST), International Labour Organization (ILO), published as part of Contributing family workers, female (% of female employment) (modeled ILO estimate). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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About this data
Contributing family workers are those workers who hold "self-employment jobs" as own-account workers in a market-oriented establishment operated by a related person living in the same household.