Employment rate, men vs. women in Afghanistan
Afghanistan: Employment rate, men vs. women was 61.0% in 2025. ▼ Falling
Employment rate, men vs. women in Afghanistan, 1991–2025
Source: ILO Modelled Estimates, via World Bank (2026) – processed by Our World in Data. Measured in %.
Analysis
Afghanistan recorded 61.0% for employment rate, men vs. women in 2025.
The figure is down 11.5% over ten years.
Over the whole period, employment rate, men vs. women in Afghanistan peaked at 74.1% in 1993 and was at its lowest, 59.5%, in 2021.
Afghanistan ranks 131st of 186 countries on this measure, in the middle of the range.
The long-run direction has been consistently falling across the 35 years of available data.
Employment rate, men vs. women in Afghanistan, year by year
| Year | % | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1991 | 74.0% | — |
| 1992 | 74.1% | +0.0% |
| 1993 | 74.1% | +0.0% |
| 1994 | 74.1% | -0.0% |
| 1995 | 74.0% | -0.0% |
| 1996 | 74.0% | -0.0% |
| 1997 | 74.0% | +0.0% |
| 1998 | 74.0% | +0.0% |
| 1999 | 74.0% | +0.0% |
| 2000 | 74.0% | -0.0% |
| 2001 | 73.9% | -0.1% |
| 2002 | 73.9% | +0.0% |
| 2003 | 73.9% | -0.1% |
| 2004 | 73.8% | -0.1% |
| 2005 | 73.6% | -0.2% |
| 2006 | 73.5% | -0.2% |
| 2007 | 73.3% | -0.2% |
| 2008 | 73.1% | -0.3% |
| 2009 | 73.0% | -0.2% |
| 2010 | 72.7% | -0.3% |
| 2011 | 72.5% | -0.3% |
| 2012 | 72.2% | -0.3% |
| 2013 | 71.4% | -1.1% |
| 2014 | 70.6% | -1.1% |
| 2015 | 69.0% | -2.3% |
| 2016 | 67.4% | -2.3% |
| 2017 | 65.8% | -2.4% |
| 2018 | 64.1% | -2.6% |
| 2019 | 62.4% | -2.6% |
| 2020 | 59.8% | -4.3% |
| 2021 | 59.5% | -0.4% |
| 2022 | 61.0% | +2.4% |
| 2023 | 60.9% | -0.1% |
| 2024 | 61.0% | +0.2% |
| 2025 | 61.0% | +0.0% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1990s | 74.0% | 74.0% | 74.1% | 9 |
| 2000s | 73.6% | 73.0% | 74.0% | 10 |
| 2010s | 68.8% | 62.4% | 72.7% | 10 |
| 2020s | 60.5% | 59.5% | 61.0% | 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 rate, men vs. women in Afghanistan?
- Employment rate, men vs. women in Afghanistan was 61.0% in 2025, according to ILO Modelled Estimates, via World Bank (2026) – processed by Our World in Data.
- What is the highest employment rate, men vs. women recorded in Afghanistan?
- The highest recorded value was 74.1% in 1993.
- What is the lowest employment rate, men vs. women recorded in Afghanistan?
- The lowest recorded value was 59.5% in 2021.
- How does Afghanistan rank for employment rate, men vs. women?
- Afghanistan ranks 131st out of 186 countries with data for 2025.
- Is employment rate, men vs. women rising or falling in Afghanistan?
- Over the last ten years it is down 11.5%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
- Where does this Afghanistan data come from?
- The figures come from ILO Modelled Estimates, via World Bank (2026) – processed by Our World in Data, published as part of Employment rate, men vs. women. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
CSV · JSON — 35 observations, free to reuse under CC BY 4.0 (Our World in Data).
About this data
Share of the male working-age population (ages 15 and older) who are employed.