Female labor force participation rate: 1980 vs. 2025 in Belgium
Belgium: Female labor force participation rate: 1980 vs. 2025 was 51.6% in 2025. ▲ Rising
Female labor force participation rate: 1980 vs. 2025 in Belgium, 1961–2025
Source: Labour Force Statistics, via World Bank (2026) – processed by Our World in Data. Measured in %.
Analysis
The most recent figure for female labor force participation rate: 1980 vs. 2025 in Belgium is 51.6%, measured in 2025. That is the highest value across all 49 years on record.
The figure is up 1.8% on the previous year and up 7.5% over ten years.
Over the whole period, female labor force participation rate: 1980 vs. 2025 in Belgium peaked at 51.6% in 2025 and was at its lowest, 25.5%, in 1961.
Belgium ranks 118th of 194 countries on this measure, in the middle of the range.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 49 years of available data.
Female labor force participation rate: 1980 vs. 2025 in Belgium, year by year
| Year | % | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1961 | 25.5% | — |
| 1970 | 28.1% | +10.2% |
| 1977 | 28.7% | +2.2% |
| 1979 | 30.2% | +5.1% |
| 1980 | 30.7% | +1.6% |
| 1981 | 28.5% | -7.1% |
| 1983 | 36.3% | +27.3% |
| 1984 | 36.1% | -0.6% |
| 1985 | 36.5% | +1.1% |
| 1986 | 36.9% | +1.3% |
| 1987 | 36.6% | -1.0% |
| 1988 | 36.5% | -0.3% |
| 1989 | 36.2% | -0.7% |
| 1990 | 36.6% | +0.9% |
| 1991 | 38.0% | +4.0% |
| 1992 | 38.9% | +2.4% |
| 1993 | 39.6% | +1.7% |
| 1994 | 40.2% | +1.5% |
| 1995 | 40.5% | +0.9% |
| 1996 | 40.6% | +0.1% |
| 1997 | 41.0% | +1.1% |
| 1998 | 41.7% | +1.6% |
| 1999 | 43.2% | +3.6% |
| 2000 | 43.6% | +1.1% |
| 2001 | 41.9% | -4.1% |
| 2002 | 42.6% | +1.7% |
| 2003 | 42.9% | +0.9% |
| 2004 | 44.2% | +3.0% |
| 2005 | 45.7% | +3.3% |
| 2006 | 45.8% | +0.3% |
| 2007 | 46.5% | +1.5% |
| 2008 | 46.9% | +0.8% |
| 2009 | 47.0% | +0.1% |
| 2010 | 47.7% | +1.6% |
| 2011 | 47.0% | -1.4% |
| 2012 | 47.1% | +0.1% |
| 2013 | 47.8% | +1.4% |
| 2014 | 48.1% | +0.6% |
| 2015 | 48.0% | -0.1% |
| 2016 | 47.8% | -0.5% |
| 2017 | 48.7% | +2.0% |
| 2018 | 49.5% | +1.6% |
| 2019 | 49.8% | +0.6% |
| 2020 | 49.3% | -1.0% |
| 2021 | 50.0% | +1.4% |
| 2022 | 50.8% | +1.5% |
| 2023 | 50.7% | -0.2% |
| 2024 | 50.7% | -0.0% |
| 2025 | 51.6% | +1.8% |
Belgium compared with similar countries
- Belgium's 51.6% is below the median for high income countries, which is 57.2%, 90% of the median. (79 countries reporting)
- Belgium's 51.6% is below the median for Europe & Central Asia, which is 56.9%, 91% of the median. (53 countries reporting)
Biggest year-on-year movements
Years where Female labor force participation rate: 1980 vs. 2025 in Belgium 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1983 | +27.3% | 28.5% | 36.3% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1960s | 25.5% | 25.5% | 25.5% | 1 |
| 1970s | 29.0% | 28.1% | 30.2% | 3 |
| 1980s | 34.9% | 28.5% | 36.9% | 9 |
| 1990s | 40.0% | 36.6% | 43.2% | 10 |
| 2000s | 44.7% | 41.9% | 47.0% | 10 |
| 2010s | 48.2% | 47.0% | 49.8% | 10 |
| 2020s | 50.5% | 49.3% | 51.6% | 6 |
Countries ranked near Belgium
More work & labour data for Belgium
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Total Population - Both sexes, annual -0.1652 % change on previous year (2100)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Total Population - Male, annual growth -0.1676 % change on previous year (2100)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Total Population - Female, annual growth -0.1614 % change on previous year (2100)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Rural population, annual growth rate -1.59 % change on previous year (2050)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Urban population, annual growth rate 0.1395 % change on previous year (2050)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Urban population 12,349 1000 No (2050)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Rural population 139 1000 No (2050)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Total Population - Female 5,498 1000 No (2100)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Total Population - Male 5,563 1000 No (2100)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Total Population - Both sexes 11,061 1000 No (2100)
Frequently asked questions
- What is female labor force participation rate: 1980 vs. 2025 in Belgium?
- Female labor force participation rate: 1980 vs. 2025 in Belgium was 51.6% in 2025, according to Labour Force Statistics, via World Bank (2026) – processed by Our World in Data.
- What is the highest female labor force participation rate: 1980 vs. 2025 recorded in Belgium?
- The highest recorded value was 51.6% in 2025.
- What is the lowest female labor force participation rate: 1980 vs. 2025 recorded in Belgium?
- The lowest recorded value was 25.5% in 1961.
- How does Belgium rank for female labor force participation rate: 1980 vs. 2025?
- Belgium ranks 118th out of 194 countries with data for 2025.
- Is female labor force participation rate: 1980 vs. 2025 rising or falling in Belgium?
- Over the last ten years it is up 7.5%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this Belgium data come from?
- The figures come from Labour Force Statistics, via World Bank (2026) – processed by Our World in Data, published as part of Female labor force participation rate: 1980 vs. 2025. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
CSV · JSON — 49 observations, free to reuse under CC BY 4.0 (Our World in Data).
About this data
Share of the female working-age population who are economically active (employed or unemployed). Figures refer to national estimates and may not be fully comparable across countries.