Female labor force participation rate in Malawi
Malawi: Female labor force participation rate was 58.2% in 2025. ▼ Falling
Female labor force participation rate in Malawi, 1990–2025
Source: ILO Modelled Estimates, via World Bank (2026) – processed by Our World in Data. Measured in %.
Analysis
The most recent figure for female labor force participation rate in Malawi is 58.2%, measured in 2025. That is the lowest value across all 36 years on record.
Compared with earlier readings it is down 0.6% on the previous year and down 6.5% over ten years.
Over the whole period, female labor force participation rate in Malawi peaked at 78.4% in 1990 and was at its lowest, 58.2%, in 2025.
Malawi ranks 60th 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 | 78.2% | 78.1% | 78.4% | 10 |
| 2000s | 76.7% | 72.1% | 78.2% | 10 |
| 2010s | 63.5% | 58.8% | 70.5% | 10 |
| 2020s | 59.3% | 58.2% | 63.1% | 6 |
Countries ranked near Malawi
More work & labour data for Malawi
- 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+) 62.6% (2025)
- Labor force participation rate, male (% of male population ages 15+) 67.3% (2025)
- Ratio of female to male labor force participation rate (%) 86.4% (2025)
- Labor force participation rate, female (% of female population ages 15 58.2% (2025)
- Labor force participation rate, total (% of total population ages 15-6 63.2% (2025)
- Labor force participation rate, male (% of male population ages 15-64) 67.8% (2025)
- Labor force participation rate, female (% of female population ages 15 59.0% (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is female labor force participation rate in Malawi?
- Female labor force participation rate in Malawi was 58.2% 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 Malawi?
- The highest recorded value was 78.4% in 1990.
- What is the lowest female labor force participation rate recorded in Malawi?
- The lowest recorded value was 58.2% in 2025.
- How does Malawi rank for female labor force participation rate?
- Malawi ranks 60th out of 186 countries with data for 2025.
- Is female labor force participation rate rising or falling in Malawi?
- Over the last ten years it is down 6.5%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
- Where does this Malawi 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).