Female labor force participation rate in Cameroon
Cameroon: Female labor force participation rate was 56.6% in 2025. ▼ Falling
Female labor force participation rate in Cameroon, 1990–2025
Source: ILO Modelled Estimates, via World Bank (2026) – processed by Our World in Data. Measured in %.
Analysis
In 2025, female labor force participation rate in Cameroon stood at 56.6%. That is the lowest value across all 36 years on record.
Compared with earlier readings it is down 0.9% on the previous year and down 13.8% over ten years.
Over the whole period, female labor force participation rate in Cameroon peaked at 78.1% in 2007 and was at its lowest, 56.6%, in 2025.
Cameroon ranks 71st of 186 countries on this measure, in the middle of the range.
The long-run direction has been consistently falling across the 36 years of available data.
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1990s | 77.7% | 77.6% | 77.8% | 10 |
| 2000s | 77.3% | 73.2% | 78.1% | 10 |
| 2010s | 65.8% | 60.0% | 70.5% | 10 |
| 2020s | 57.2% | 56.6% | 58.1% | 6 |
Countries ranked near Cameroon
More work & labour data for Cameroon
- 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 0 (1=yes; 0=no) (2023)
- Labor force participation rate, total (% of total population ages 15+) 65.2% (2025)
- Labor force participation rate, male (% of male population ages 15+) 73.9% (2025)
- Ratio of female to male labor force participation rate (%) 76.5% (2025)
- Labor force participation rate, female (% of female population ages 15 56.6% (2025)
- Labor force participation rate, total (% of total population ages 15-6 65.8% (2025)
- Labor force participation rate, male (% of male population ages 15-64) 74.5% (2025)
- Labor force participation rate, female (% of female population ages 15 57.2% (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is female labor force participation rate in Cameroon?
- Female labor force participation rate in Cameroon was 56.6% in 2025, according to ILO Modelled Estimates, via World Bank (2026) – processed by Our World in Data.
- What is the highest female labor force participation rate recorded in Cameroon?
- The highest recorded value was 78.1% in 2007.
- What is the lowest female labor force participation rate recorded in Cameroon?
- The lowest recorded value was 56.6% in 2025.
- How does Cameroon rank for female labor force participation rate?
- Cameroon ranks 71st out of 186 countries with data for 2025.
- Is female labor force participation rate rising or falling in Cameroon?
- Over the last ten years it is down 13.8%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
- Where does this Cameroon data come from?
- The figures come from ILO Modelled Estimates, via World Bank (2026) – processed by Our World in Data, published as part of Female labor force participation rate. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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CSV · JSON — 36 observations, free to reuse under CC BY 4.0 (Our World in Data).
About this data
Share of the female working-age population (ages 15 and over) who are economically active (employed or unemployed).