Female labor force participation rates in Pakistan
Pakistan: Female labor force participation rates was 24.05 in 2025. ▲ Rising
Latest (2025)
24.05
Change on year
up 0.2%
World rank
170th
of 186 countries
All-time high
24.36
in 2021
All-time low
11.2
in 1990
Years of data
36
1990–2025
Female labor force participation rates in Pakistan, 1990–2025
Source: Our World in Data.
Analysis
In 2025, female labor force participation rates in Pakistan stood at 24.05.
The figure is up 0.2% on the previous year and up 0.3% over ten years.
Over the whole period, female labor force participation rates in Pakistan peaked at 24.36 in 2021 and was at its lowest, 11.2, in 1990.
That places Pakistan 170th out of 186 countries with data for 2025, putting it in the bottom quarter.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 36 years of available data.
Female labor force participation rates in Pakistan, year by year
| Year | Value | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1990 | 11.2 | — |
| 1991 | 13.77 | +23.0% |
| 1992 | 13.79 | +0.2% |
| 1993 | 14.18 | +2.8% |
| 1994 | 14.48 | +2.1% |
| 1995 | 12.55 | -13.3% |
| 1996 | 13.71 | +9.2% |
| 1997 | 14.94 | +9.0% |
| 1998 | 15.24 | +2.1% |
| 1999 | 15.69 | +2.9% |
| 2000 | 16.13 | +2.8% |
| 2001 | 16.17 | +0.2% |
| 2002 | 16.22 | +0.3% |
| 2003 | 17 | +4.8% |
| 2004 | 17.78 | +4.6% |
| 2005 | 18.35 | +3.2% |
| 2006 | 18.95 | +3.3% |
| 2007 | 19.31 | +1.9% |
| 2008 | 19.85 | +2.8% |
| 2009 | 20.98 | +5.7% |
| 2010 | 22.04 | +5.0% |
| 2011 | 22.23 | +0.9% |
| 2012 | 22.51 | +1.3% |
| 2013 | 22.79 | +1.3% |
| 2014 | 22.99 | +0.9% |
| 2015 | 23.98 | +4.3% |
| 2016 | 23.16 | -3.4% |
| 2017 | 22.36 | -3.5% |
| 2018 | 21.57 | -3.5% |
| 2019 | 23.24 | +7.7% |
| 2020 | 23.41 | +0.7% |
| 2021 | 24.36 | +4.1% |
| 2022 | 24.03 | -1.4% |
| 2023 | 24 | -0.1% |
| 2024 | 23.99 | -0.0% |
| 2025 | 24.05 | +0.2% |
Pakistan compared with similar countries
- Pakistan's 24.05 is below the median for lower middle income countries, which is 49.67, 48% of the median. (46 countries reporting)
- Pakistan's 24.05 is above the median for Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan, which is 22.23, 1.1× the median. (23 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1990s | 13.95 | 11.2 | 15.69 | 10 |
| 2000s | 18.07 | 16.13 | 20.98 | 10 |
| 2010s | 22.69 | 21.57 | 23.98 | 10 |
| 2020s | 23.97 | 23.41 | 24.36 | 6 |
Countries ranked near Pakistan
- 167 Nepal 27.47 compare
- 168 Tunisia 26.5 compare
- 169 Mauritania 26.18 compare
- 171 Sao Tome and Principe 22.75 compare
- 172 Lebanon 22.23 compare
- 173 Tajikistan 21.9 compare
More work & labour data for Pakistan
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Total Population - Both sexes, annual 0.1692 % change on previous year (2100)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Total Population - Male, annual growth 0.1658 % change on previous year (2100)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Total Population - Female, annual growth 0.1724 % change on previous year (2100)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Rural population, annual growth rate -0.4553 % change on previous year (2050)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Urban population, annual growth rate 2.11 % change on previous year (2050)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Urban population 160,228 1000 No (2050)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Rural population 146,712 1000 No (2050)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Total Population - Female 259,090 1000 No (2100)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Total Population - Male 251,911 1000 No (2100)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Total Population - Both sexes 511,001 1000 No (2100)
Frequently asked questions
- What is female labor force participation rates in Pakistan?
- Female labor force participation rates in Pakistan was 24.05 in 2025, according to Our World in Data.
- What is the highest female labor force participation rates recorded in Pakistan?
- The highest recorded value was 24.36 in 2021.
- What is the lowest female labor force participation rates recorded in Pakistan?
- The lowest recorded value was 11.2 in 1990.
- How does Pakistan rank for female labor force participation rates?
- Pakistan ranks 170th out of 186 countries with data for 2025.
- Is female labor force participation rates rising or falling in Pakistan?
- Over the last ten years it is up 0.3%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this Pakistan data come from?
- The figures come from Our World in Data, published as part of Female labor force participation rates. 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).