Employment in services, female (% of female employment) in Malawi
Malawi: Employment in services, female (% of female employment) was 24.2% in 2025. ▲ Rising
Employment in services, female (% of female employment) in Malawi, 1991–2025
Source: ILO Modelled Estimates database (ILOEST), International Labour Organization (ILO).
Analysis
In 2025, employment in services, female (% of female employment) in Malawi stood at 24.2%.
Compared with earlier readings it is up 0.7% on the previous year and down 0.2% over ten years.
Over the whole period, employment in services, female (% of female employment) in Malawi peaked at 25.4% in 2019 and was at its lowest, 16.0%, in 1992.
That places Malawi 176th out of 187 countries with data for 2025, putting it in the bottom quarter.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 35 years of available data.
Employment in services, female (% of female employment) in Malawi, year by year
| Year | Value | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1991 | 16.9% | — |
| 1992 | 16.0% | -5.6% |
| 1993 | 16.7% | +4.4% |
| 1994 | 16.7% | -0.2% |
| 1995 | 18.0% | +8.1% |
| 1996 | 18.5% | +2.9% |
| 1997 | 18.9% | +2.0% |
| 1998 | 19.0% | +0.7% |
| 1999 | 19.1% | +0.5% |
| 2000 | 19.0% | -0.4% |
| 2001 | 18.3% | -3.8% |
| 2002 | 18.4% | +0.2% |
| 2003 | 18.8% | +2.5% |
| 2004 | 19.3% | +2.4% |
| 2005 | 19.5% | +1.1% |
| 2006 | 19.8% | +1.7% |
| 2007 | 20.8% | +4.8% |
| 2008 | 21.4% | +2.9% |
| 2009 | 22.1% | +3.3% |
| 2010 | 22.7% | +3.0% |
| 2011 | 23.1% | +1.7% |
| 2012 | 23.1% | +0.0% |
| 2013 | 23.5% | +1.8% |
| 2014 | 24.1% | +2.5% |
| 2015 | 24.2% | +0.5% |
| 2016 | 24.3% | +0.4% |
| 2017 | 24.6% | +1.1% |
| 2018 | 24.9% | +1.4% |
| 2019 | 25.4% | +2.0% |
| 2020 | 24.7% | -3.0% |
| 2021 | 24.3% | -1.6% |
| 2022 | 24.0% | -0.9% |
| 2023 | 24.0% | +0.0% |
| 2024 | 24.0% | -0.1% |
| 2025 | 24.2% | +0.7% |
Malawi compared with similar countries
- Malawi's 24.2% is below the median for low income countries, which is 31.5%, 77% of the median. (25 countries reporting)
- Malawi's 24.2% is below the median for Sub-Saharan Africa, which is 45.1%, 54% of the median. (47 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1990s | 17.8% | 16.0% | 19.1% | 9 |
| 2000s | 19.7% | 18.3% | 22.1% | 10 |
| 2010s | 24.0% | 22.7% | 25.4% | 10 |
| 2020s | 24.2% | 24.0% | 24.7% | 6 |
Countries ranked near Malawi
- 173 Guinea-Bissau 27.2% compare
- 174 Lao People's Democratic Republic 25.9% compare
- 175 Uganda 25.6% compare
- 177 India 24.0% compare
- 178 Madagascar 22.4% compare
- 179 Korea, Democratic People's Republic of 21.8% compare
More work & labour data for Malawi
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Total Population - Both sexes, annual 0.4293 % change on previous year (2100)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Total Population - Male, annual growth 0.4409 % change on previous year (2100)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Total Population - Female, annual growth 0.4183 % change on previous year (2100)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Rural population, annual growth rate 1.02 % change on previous year (2050)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Urban population, annual growth rate 4.02 % change on previous year (2050)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Urban population 13,360 1000 No (2050)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Rural population 28,345 1000 No (2050)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Total Population - Female 30,321 1000 No (2100)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Total Population - Male 28,820 1000 No (2100)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Total Population - Both sexes 59,141 1000 No (2100)
Frequently asked questions
- What is employment in services, female (% of female employment) in Malawi?
- Employment in services, female (% of female employment) in Malawi was 24.2% 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 Malawi?
- The highest recorded value was 25.4% in 2019.
- What is the lowest employment in services, female (% of female employment) recorded in Malawi?
- The lowest recorded value was 16.0% in 1992.
- How does Malawi rank for employment in services, female (% of female employment)?
- Malawi ranks 176th out of 187 countries with data for 2025.
- Is employment in services, female (% of female employment) rising or falling in Malawi?
- Over the last ten years it is down 0.2%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this Malawi 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).