Female labor force participation rate in Nepal
Nepal: Female labor force participation rate was 27.5% in 2025. ▲ Rising
Female labor force participation rate in Nepal, 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 Nepal is 27.5%, measured in 2025.
Compared with earlier readings it is up 0.3% on the previous year and up 1.7% over ten years.
Over the whole period, female labor force participation rate in Nepal peaked at 27.6% in 2018 and was at its lowest, 20.6%, in 1990.
Nepal ranks 167th of 186 countries on this measure, in the bottom quarter.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 36 years of available data.
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1990s | 20.8% | 20.6% | 21.1% | 10 |
| 2000s | 22.5% | 21.3% | 24.1% | 10 |
| 2010s | 26.5% | 24.7% | 27.6% | 10 |
| 2020s | 27.3% | 27.2% | 27.5% | 6 |
Countries ranked near Nepal
More work & labour data for Nepal
- 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, female (% of female population ages 15 27.5% (2025)
- Labor force participation rate, total (% of total population ages 15+) 39.2% (2025)
- Labor force participation rate for ages 15-24, female (%) 19.2% (2025)
- Labor force participation rate, male (% of male population ages 15+) 52.9% (2025)
- Labor force participation rate, total (% of total population ages 15-6 41.9% (2025)
- Labor force participation rate, male (% of male population ages 15-64) 56.2% (2025)
- Ratio of female to male labor force participation rate (%) 51.9% (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is female labor force participation rate in Nepal?
- Female labor force participation rate in Nepal was 27.5% 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 Nepal?
- The highest recorded value was 27.6% in 2018.
- What is the lowest female labor force participation rate recorded in Nepal?
- The lowest recorded value was 20.6% in 1990.
- How does Nepal rank for female labor force participation rate?
- Nepal ranks 167th out of 186 countries with data for 2025.
- Is female labor force participation rate rising or falling in Nepal?
- Over the last ten years it is up 1.7%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this Nepal 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.
Download this data
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).