Female employment vs. public spending on family benefits in Netherlands
Netherlands: Female employment vs. public spending on family benefits was 1.6% in 2021. ▼ Falling
Female employment vs. public spending on family benefits in Netherlands, 1980–2021
Source: OECD (2025) – with minor processing by Our World in Data. Measured in % of GDP.
Analysis
The most recent figure for female employment vs. public spending on family benefits in Netherlands is 1.6%, measured in 2021.
Compared with earlier readings it is down 2.7% on the previous year and up 3.6% over ten years.
Over the whole period, female employment vs. public spending on family benefits in Netherlands peaked at 2.3% in 1980 and was at its lowest, 1.2%, in 1996.
Netherlands ranks 31st of 41 countries on this measure, in the bottom quarter.
The long-run direction has been consistently falling across the 42 years of available data.
Female employment vs. public spending on family benefits in Netherlands, year by year
| Year | % of GDP | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1980 | 2.3% | — |
| 1981 | 2.2% | -3.0% |
| 1982 | 2.2% | -0.1% |
| 1983 | 2.2% | -3.2% |
| 1984 | 2.1% | -4.9% |
| 1985 | 2.0% | -4.1% |
| 1986 | 1.8% | -6.7% |
| 1987 | 1.6% | -16.0% |
| 1988 | 1.5% | -2.0% |
| 1989 | 1.6% | +3.0% |
| 1990 | 1.5% | -1.7% |
| 1991 | 1.5% | -4.0% |
| 1992 | 1.4% | -5.7% |
| 1993 | 1.4% | -1.3% |
| 1994 | 1.3% | -3.3% |
| 1995 | 1.3% | -1.7% |
| 1996 | 1.2% | -10.3% |
| 1997 | 1.2% | +1.8% |
| 1998 | 1.5% | +23.3% |
| 1999 | 1.4% | -2.0% |
| 2000 | 1.5% | +3.5% |
| 2001 | 1.5% | -0.3% |
| 2002 | 1.6% | +5.8% |
| 2003 | 1.7% | +5.2% |
| 2004 | 1.6% | -1.7% |
| 2005 | 1.6% | -2.5% |
| 2006 | 1.8% | +13.3% |
| 2007 | 1.3% | -28.5% |
| 2008 | 1.5% | +16.3% |
| 2009 | 1.6% | +9.1% |
| 2010 | 1.6% | -2.3% |
| 2011 | 1.6% | -2.1% |
| 2012 | 1.5% | -6.9% |
| 2013 | 1.4% | -4.7% |
| 2014 | 1.3% | -4.6% |
| 2015 | 1.4% | +8.6% |
| 2016 | 1.5% | +2.6% |
| 2017 | 1.5% | -0.7% |
| 2018 | 1.5% | +0.1% |
| 2019 | 1.5% | +5.2% |
| 2020 | 1.7% | +7.9% |
| 2021 | 1.6% | -2.7% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1980s | 2.0% | 1.5% | 2.3% | 10 |
| 1990s | 1.4% | 1.2% | 1.5% | 10 |
| 2000s | 1.6% | 1.3% | 1.8% | 10 |
| 2010s | 1.5% | 1.3% | 1.6% | 10 |
| 2020s | 1.6% | 1.6% | 1.7% | 2 |
Countries ranked near Netherlands
More work & labour data for Netherlands
- Persons outside the labour force (ILO modelled estimates) 5,256 (2027)
- Labour force participation rate (ILO modelled estimates) 66.71 (2027)
- Labour force (ILO modelled estimates) 10,535 (2027)
- Employment-to-population ratio (ILO modelled estimates) 64.03 (2027)
- Persons outside the labour force (ILO modelled estimates) (15+) 1.4 % change on previous year (2027)
- Labour force (ILO modelled estimates) (15+), annual growth rate 0.1112 % change on previous year (2027)
- Legislation on sexual harassment in employment 1 (1=yes; 0=no) (2023)
- Criminal sanctions or compensation for workplace sexual harassment 1 (1=yes; 0=no) (2023)
- Women can take the same jobs as men 1 (1=yes; 0=no) (2023)
- Labor force participation rate, total (% of total population ages 15+) 67.2% (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is female employment vs. public spending on family benefits in Netherlands?
- Female employment vs. public spending on family benefits in Netherlands was 1.6% in 2021, according to OECD (2025) – with minor processing by Our World in Data.
- What is the highest female employment vs. public spending on family benefits recorded in Netherlands?
- The highest recorded value was 2.3% in 1980.
- What is the lowest female employment vs. public spending on family benefits recorded in Netherlands?
- The lowest recorded value was 1.2% in 1996.
- How does Netherlands rank for female employment vs. public spending on family benefits?
- Netherlands ranks 31st out of 41 countries with data for 2021.
- Is female employment vs. public spending on family benefits rising or falling in Netherlands?
- Over the last ten years it is up 3.6%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
- Where does this Netherlands data come from?
- The figures come from OECD (2025) – with minor processing by Our World in Data, published as part of Female employment vs. public spending on family benefits. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
CSV · JSON — 42 observations, free to reuse under CC BY 4.0 (Our World in Data).
About this data
Public social expenditure divided by gross domestic product, expressed as a percentage. Includes both in-cash and in-kind benefits in family programs.