Employment in services, female (% of female employment) in South Asia
South Asia: Employment in services, female (% of female employment) was 23.8% in 2025. ▲ Rising
Employment in services, female (% of female employment) in South Asia, 1991–2025
Source: ILO Modelled Estimates database (ILOEST), International Labour Organization (ILO).
Analysis
In 2025, employment in services, female (% of female employment) in South Asia stood at 23.8%.
Compared with earlier readings it is up 1.9% on the previous year and down 3.9% over ten years.
Over the whole period, employment in services, female (% of female employment) in South Asia peaked at 29.3% in 2018 and was at its lowest, 11.9%, in 1991.
That places South Asia 46th out of 47 groups 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 South Asia, year by year
| Year | Value | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1991 | 11.9% | — |
| 1992 | 12.1% | +1.9% |
| 1993 | 12.4% | +2.5% |
| 1994 | 12.6% | +1.7% |
| 1995 | 13.1% | +3.5% |
| 1996 | 13.7% | +4.7% |
| 1997 | 13.7% | -0.0% |
| 1998 | 13.8% | +0.9% |
| 1999 | 14.0% | +1.3% |
| 2000 | 14.2% | +1.4% |
| 2001 | 14.7% | +4.1% |
| 2002 | 15.4% | +4.6% |
| 2003 | 16.2% | +5.2% |
| 2004 | 16.7% | +3.1% |
| 2005 | 17.3% | +3.5% |
| 2006 | 17.6% | +1.6% |
| 2007 | 17.8% | +1.2% |
| 2008 | 17.9% | +0.6% |
| 2009 | 18.1% | +1.1% |
| 2010 | 18.3% | +1.1% |
| 2011 | 19.4% | +6.3% |
| 2012 | 20.7% | +6.4% |
| 2013 | 22.0% | +6.4% |
| 2014 | 23.3% | +5.8% |
| 2015 | 24.7% | +6.2% |
| 2016 | 26.1% | +5.6% |
| 2017 | 27.9% | +6.7% |
| 2018 | 29.3% | +5.1% |
| 2019 | 28.0% | -4.4% |
| 2020 | 25.3% | -9.6% |
| 2021 | 24.3% | -3.8% |
| 2022 | 24.4% | +0.4% |
| 2023 | 22.3% | -8.9% |
| 2024 | 23.3% | +4.7% |
| 2025 | 23.8% | +1.9% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1990s | 13.0% | 11.9% | 14.0% | 9 |
| 2000s | 16.6% | 14.2% | 18.1% | 10 |
| 2010s | 24.0% | 18.3% | 29.3% | 10 |
| 2020s | 23.9% | 22.3% | 25.3% | 6 |
Countries ranked near South Asia
- 43 Montenegro 88.3% compare
- 44 Brunei Darussalam 88.0% compare
- 45 Uruguay 87.7% compare
- 46 Argentina 86.7% compare
- 47 Venezuela, Bolivarian Republic of 86.6% compare
- 48 Germany 86.4% compare
- 49 New Zealand 86.4% 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 employment in services, female (% of female employment) in South Asia?
- Employment in services, female (% of female employment) in South Asia was 23.8% 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 South Asia?
- The highest recorded value was 29.3% in 2018.
- What is the lowest employment in services, female (% of female employment) recorded in South Asia?
- The lowest recorded value was 11.9% in 1991.
- How does South Asia rank for employment in services, female (% of female employment)?
- South Asia ranks 46th out of 47 groups with data for 2025.
- Is employment in services, female (% of female employment) rising or falling in South Asia?
- Over the last ten years it is down 3.9%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- 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 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).