Female labor force participation rates in South Africa
South Africa: Female labor force participation rates was 49.88 in 2025. ▲ Rising
Latest (2025)
49.88
Change on year
up 0.2%
World rank
119th
of 186 countries
All-time high
49.88
in 2025
All-time low
44.15
in 2020
Years of data
36
1990–2025
Female labor force participation rates in South Africa, 1990–2025
Source: Our World in Data.
Analysis
South Africa recorded 49.88 for female labor force participation rates in 2025. That is the highest value across all 36 years on record.
The figure is up 0.2% on the previous year and up 4.5% over ten years.
Over the whole period, female labor force participation rates in South Africa peaked at 49.88 in 2025 and was at its lowest, 44.15, in 2020.
South Africa ranks 119th of 186 countries on this measure, in the middle of the range.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 36 years of available data.
Female labor force participation rates in South Africa, year by year
| Year | Value | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1990 | 44.72 | — |
| 1991 | 44.79 | +0.2% |
| 1992 | 44.88 | +0.2% |
| 1993 | 44.84 | -0.1% |
| 1994 | 44.96 | +0.3% |
| 1995 | 45.3 | +0.8% |
| 1996 | 45.63 | +0.7% |
| 1997 | 45.93 | +0.7% |
| 1998 | 46.12 | +0.4% |
| 1999 | 46.34 | +0.5% |
| 2000 | 46.58 | +0.5% |
| 2001 | 46.84 | +0.5% |
| 2002 | 47.09 | +0.5% |
| 2003 | 47.33 | +0.5% |
| 2004 | 47.54 | +0.4% |
| 2005 | 47.71 | +0.4% |
| 2006 | 47.85 | +0.3% |
| 2007 | 47.97 | +0.3% |
| 2008 | 48.06 | +0.2% |
| 2009 | 46.38 | -3.5% |
| 2010 | 44.76 | -3.5% |
| 2011 | 45.15 | +0.9% |
| 2012 | 45.33 | +0.4% |
| 2013 | 46.27 | +2.1% |
| 2014 | 46.49 | +0.5% |
| 2015 | 47.72 | +2.6% |
| 2016 | 47.74 | +0.1% |
| 2017 | 48.63 | +1.9% |
| 2018 | 48.52 | -0.2% |
| 2019 | 48.58 | +0.1% |
| 2020 | 44.15 | -9.1% |
| 2021 | 45.41 | +2.9% |
| 2022 | 47.12 | +3.8% |
| 2023 | 49.05 | +4.1% |
| 2024 | 49.8 | +1.5% |
| 2025 | 49.88 | +0.2% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1990s | 45.35 | 44.72 | 46.34 | 10 |
| 2000s | 47.33 | 46.38 | 48.06 | 10 |
| 2010s | 46.92 | 44.76 | 48.63 | 10 |
| 2020s | 47.57 | 44.15 | 49.88 | 6 |
Countries ranked near South Africa
- 116 Philippines 50.49 compare
- 117 Cape Verde 50.47 compare
- 118 Bulgaria 50.38 compare
- 120 Belgium 49.78 compare
- 121 El Salvador 49.05 compare
- 122 Eswatini 48.52 compare
More work & labour data for South Africa
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Total Population - Both sexes, annual 0.2264 % change on previous year (2100)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Total Population - Male, annual growth 0.242 % change on previous year (2100)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Total Population - Female, annual growth 0.2122 % change on previous year (2100)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Rural population, annual growth rate -1.23 % change on previous year (2050)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Urban population, annual growth rate 0.8748 % change on previous year (2050)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Urban population 58,057 1000 No (2050)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Rural population 14,698 1000 No (2050)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Total Population - Female 49,126 1000 No (2100)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Total Population - Male 45,189 1000 No (2100)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Total Population - Both sexes 94,314 1000 No (2100)
Frequently asked questions
- What is female labor force participation rates in South Africa?
- Female labor force participation rates in South Africa was 49.88 in 2025, according to Our World in Data.
- What is the highest female labor force participation rates recorded in South Africa?
- The highest recorded value was 49.88 in 2025.
- What is the lowest female labor force participation rates recorded in South Africa?
- The lowest recorded value was 44.15 in 2020.
- How does South Africa rank for female labor force participation rates?
- South Africa ranks 119th out of 186 countries with data for 2025.
- Is female labor force participation rates rising or falling in South Africa?
- Over the last ten years it is up 4.5%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this South Africa 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.
Download this data
CSV · JSON — 36 observations, free to reuse under CC BY 4.0 (Our World in Data).