Contributing family workers, female (% of female employment) in South Asia
South Asia: Contributing family workers, female (% of female employment) was 29.3% in 2025. ▼ Falling
Contributing family workers, female (% of female employment) in South Asia, 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 South Asia is 29.3%, measured in 2025. That is the lowest value across all 35 years on record.
The figure is down 2.8% on the previous year and down 19.0% over ten years.
Over the whole period, contributing family workers, female (% of female employment) in South Asia peaked at 41.7% in 1991 and was at its lowest, 29.3%, in 2025.
That places South Asia 5th out of 47 groups with data for 2025, putting it in the top 10%.
The long-run direction has been consistently falling across the 35 years of available data.
Contributing family workers, female (% of female employment) in South Asia, year by year
| Year | Value | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1991 | 41.7% | — |
| 1992 | 41.4% | -0.8% |
| 1993 | 41.0% | -1.0% |
| 1994 | 40.6% | -1.0% |
| 1995 | 40.1% | -1.4% |
| 1996 | 39.4% | -1.5% |
| 1997 | 38.8% | -1.5% |
| 1998 | 38.4% | -1.2% |
| 1999 | 37.7% | -1.7% |
| 2000 | 37.1% | -1.5% |
| 2001 | 37.1% | -0.1% |
| 2002 | 37.2% | +0.3% |
| 2003 | 37.2% | -0.1% |
| 2004 | 37.1% | -0.2% |
| 2005 | 37.0% | -0.4% |
| 2006 | 37.3% | +0.9% |
| 2007 | 37.5% | +0.5% |
| 2008 | 37.7% | +0.6% |
| 2009 | 37.8% | +0.4% |
| 2010 | 37.9% | +0.3% |
| 2011 | 37.5% | -1.0% |
| 2012 | 37.1% | -1.2% |
| 2013 | 36.9% | -0.5% |
| 2014 | 36.6% | -0.8% |
| 2015 | 36.2% | -1.1% |
| 2016 | 35.8% | -1.3% |
| 2017 | 35.1% | -1.8% |
| 2018 | 34.6% | -1.5% |
| 2019 | 34.1% | -1.5% |
| 2020 | 33.3% | -2.3% |
| 2021 | 31.8% | -4.6% |
| 2022 | 30.3% | -4.6% |
| 2023 | 32.3% | +6.8% |
| 2024 | 30.2% | -6.7% |
| 2025 | 29.3% | -2.8% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1990s | 39.9% | 37.7% | 41.7% | 9 |
| 2000s | 37.3% | 37.0% | 37.8% | 10 |
| 2010s | 36.2% | 34.1% | 37.9% | 10 |
| 2020s | 31.2% | 29.3% | 33.3% | 6 |
Countries ranked near South Asia
- 2 Afghanistan 68.8% compare
- 3 Nepal 65.0% compare
- 4 Burundi 58.5% compare
- 5 Madagascar 56.8% compare
- 6 Pakistan 53.4% compare
- 7 South Sudan 45.6% compare
- 8 Bhutan 43.9% compare
More work & labour data for South Asia
- Labor force participation rate, male (% of male population ages 15-64) 81.2% (2025)
- Labor force participation rate for ages 15-24, male (%) 45.4% (2025)
- Labor force participation rate for ages 15-24, female (%) 19.6% (2025)
- Labor force participation rate for ages 15-24, total (%) 33.0% (2025)
- Labor force participation rate, female (% of female population ages) 35.5% (2025)
- Labor force participation rate, total (% of total population ages 15+) 55.6% (2025)
- Labor force participation rate, total (% of total population ages) 59.0% (2025)
- Labor force participation rate, male (% of male population ages 15+) 77.4% (2025)
- Labor force participation rate, female (% of female population ages) 33.0% (2025)
- Ratio of female to male labor force participation rate (%) 42.6% (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is contributing family workers, female (% of female employment) in South Asia?
- Contributing family workers, female (% of female employment) in South Asia was 29.3% 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 South Asia?
- The highest recorded value was 41.7% in 1991.
- What is the lowest contributing family workers, female (% of female employment) recorded in South Asia?
- The lowest recorded value was 29.3% in 2025.
- How does South Asia rank for contributing family workers, female (% of female employment)?
- South Asia ranks 5th out of 47 groups with data for 2025.
- Is contributing family workers, female (% of female employment) rising or falling in South Asia?
- Over the last ten years it is down 19.0%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
- Where does this South Asia 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.