Female labor force participation rate in Zambia
Zambia: Female labor force participation rate was 56.4% in 2025. ▲ Rising
Female labor force participation rate in Zambia, 1990–2025
Source: ILO Modelled Estimates, via World Bank (2026) – processed by Our World in Data. Measured in %.
Analysis
Zambia recorded 56.4% for female labor force participation rate in 2025. That is the highest value across all 36 years on record.
The figure is up 0.1% on the previous year and up 9.0% over ten years.
Over the whole period, female labor force participation rate in Zambia peaked at 56.4% in 2025 and was at its lowest, 51.0%, in 1990.
Zambia ranks 74th 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.
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1990s | 51.1% | 51.0% | 51.1% | 10 |
| 2000s | 51.3% | 51.1% | 51.4% | 10 |
| 2010s | 51.8% | 51.5% | 52.2% | 10 |
| 2020s | 55.3% | 54.0% | 56.4% | 6 |
Countries ranked near Zambia
More work & labour data for Zambia
- 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+) 61.9% (2025)
- Labor force participation rate, male (% of male population ages 15+) 67.6% (2025)
- Ratio of female to male labor force participation rate (%) 83.4% (2025)
- Labor force participation rate, female (% of female population ages 15 56.4% (2025)
- Labor force participation rate, total (% of total population ages 15-6 62.2% (2025)
- Labor force participation rate, male (% of male population ages 15-64) 67.9% (2025)
- Labor force participation rate, female (% of female population ages 15 56.7% (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is female labor force participation rate in Zambia?
- Female labor force participation rate in Zambia was 56.4% 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 Zambia?
- The highest recorded value was 56.4% in 2025.
- What is the lowest female labor force participation rate recorded in Zambia?
- The lowest recorded value was 51.0% in 1990.
- How does Zambia rank for female labor force participation rate?
- Zambia ranks 74th out of 186 countries with data for 2025.
- Is female labor force participation rate rising or falling in Zambia?
- Over the last ten years it is up 9.0%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this Zambia 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).