Employment in services, female (% of female employment) in Afghanistan
Afghanistan: Employment in services, female (% of female employment) was 3.7% in 2025. ▼ Falling
Employment in services, female (% of female employment) in Afghanistan, 1991–2025
Source: ILO Modelled Estimates database (ILOEST), International Labour Organization (ILO).
Analysis
The most recent figure for employment in services, female (% of female employment) in Afghanistan is 3.7%, measured in 2025. That is the lowest value across all 35 years on record.
The figure is down 2.9% on the previous year and down 81.3% over ten years.
Over the whole period, employment in services, female (% of female employment) in Afghanistan peaked at 26.2% in 2008 and was at its lowest, 3.7%, in 2025.
Afghanistan ranks 187th of 187 countries on this measure, in the bottom quarter.
The long-run direction has been consistently falling across the 35 years of available data.
Employment in services, female (% of female employment) in Afghanistan, year by year
| Year | Value | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1991 | 18.4% | — |
| 1992 | 17.8% | -3.4% |
| 1993 | 17.4% | -1.8% |
| 1994 | 16.9% | -3.2% |
| 1995 | 17.2% | +2.2% |
| 1996 | 17.9% | +3.7% |
| 1997 | 18.5% | +3.7% |
| 1998 | 19.0% | +2.5% |
| 1999 | 19.5% | +2.5% |
| 2000 | 20.0% | +2.6% |
| 2001 | 18.6% | -7.0% |
| 2002 | 21.2% | +14.4% |
| 2003 | 21.5% | +1.2% |
| 2004 | 21.4% | -0.4% |
| 2005 | 22.9% | +7.0% |
| 2006 | 23.2% | +1.3% |
| 2007 | 25.5% | +9.7% |
| 2008 | 26.2% | +2.9% |
| 2009 | 25.8% | -1.7% |
| 2010 | 24.7% | -4.1% |
| 2011 | 22.2% | -10.3% |
| 2012 | 21.0% | -5.3% |
| 2013 | 19.4% | -7.8% |
| 2014 | 18.6% | -4.2% |
| 2015 | 20.0% | +7.9% |
| 2016 | 21.3% | +6.3% |
| 2017 | 22.7% | +6.8% |
| 2018 | 22.6% | -0.4% |
| 2019 | 22.3% | -1.4% |
| 2020 | 19.7% | -11.6% |
| 2021 | 5.7% | -71.0% |
| 2022 | 4.1% | -28.9% |
| 2023 | 4.0% | -2.6% |
| 2024 | 3.9% | -2.7% |
| 2025 | 3.7% | -2.9% |
Afghanistan compared with similar countries
- Afghanistan's 3.7% is below the median for low income countries, which is 31.5%, 12% of the median. (25 countries reporting)
- Afghanistan's 3.7% is below the median for Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan, which is 85.2%, 4% of the median. (23 countries reporting)
Biggest year-on-year movements
Years where Employment in services, female (% of female employment) in Afghanistan changed far more than this series normally does. A large move can be a real event or a change in how the figure was measured — the source note below says who published it.
| Year | Change | From | To |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2021 | -71.0% | 19.7% | 5.7% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1990s | 18.1% | 16.9% | 19.5% | 9 |
| 2000s | 22.6% | 18.6% | 26.2% | 10 |
| 2010s | 21.5% | 18.6% | 24.7% | 10 |
| 2020s | 6.8% | 3.7% | 19.7% | 6 |
Countries ranked near Afghanistan
More work & labour data for Afghanistan
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Total Population - Both sexes, annual 0.4637 % change on previous year (2100)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Total Population - Male, annual growth 0.4511 % change on previous year (2100)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Total Population - Female, annual growth 0.4755 % change on previous year (2100)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Rural population, annual growth rate -0.088 % change on previous year (2050)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Urban population, annual growth rate 2.67 % change on previous year (2050)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Urban population 25,498 1000 No (2050)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Rural population 36,430 1000 No (2050)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Total Population - Female 65,039 1000 No (2100)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Total Population - Male 65,177 1000 No (2100)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Total Population - Both sexes 130,217 1000 No (2100)
Frequently asked questions
- What is employment in services, female (% of female employment) in Afghanistan?
- Employment in services, female (% of female employment) in Afghanistan was 3.7% in 2025, according to ILO Modelled Estimates database (ILOEST), International Labour Organization (ILO).
- What is the highest employment in services, female (% of female employment) recorded in Afghanistan?
- The highest recorded value was 26.2% in 2008.
- What is the lowest employment in services, female (% of female employment) recorded in Afghanistan?
- The lowest recorded value was 3.7% in 2025.
- How does Afghanistan rank for employment in services, female (% of female employment)?
- Afghanistan ranks 187th out of 187 countries with data for 2025.
- Is employment in services, female (% of female employment) rising or falling in Afghanistan?
- Over the last ten years it is down 81.3%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
- Where does this Afghanistan data come from?
- The figures come from ILO Modelled Estimates database (ILOEST), International Labour Organization (ILO), published as part of Employment in services, female (% of female employment) (modeled ILO estimate). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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About this data
Employment is defined as persons of working age who were engaged in any activity to produce goods or provide services for pay or profit, whether at work during the reference period or not at work due to temporary absence from a job, or to working-time arrangement. The services sector consists of wholesale and retail trade and restaurants and hotels; transport, storage, and communications; financing, insurance, real estate, and business services; and community, social, and personal services, in accordance with divisions 6-9 (ISIC 2) or categories G-Q (ISIC 3) or categories G-U (ISIC 4).