Gender wage gap vs. ratio of female-to-male labor force participation in Pakistan
Pakistan: Gender wage gap vs. ratio of female-to-male labor force participation was -5.1% in 2021. ▼ Falling
Gender wage gap vs. ratio of female-to-male labor force participation in Pakistan, 2006–2021
Source: International Labour Organization (2026) – with major processing by Our World in Data. Measured in %.
Analysis
The most recent figure for gender wage gap vs. ratio of female-to-male labor force participation in Pakistan is -5.1%, measured in 2021. That is the lowest value across all 14 years on record.
That represents a change of down 138.6% on the previous year and down 121.5% over ten years.
Over the whole period, gender wage gap vs. ratio of female-to-male labor force participation in Pakistan peaked at 31.8% in 2008 and was at its lowest, -5.1%, in 2021.
Pakistan ranks 57th of 67 countries on this measure, in the bottom quarter.
The long-run direction has been consistently falling across the 14 years of available data.
Gender wage gap vs. ratio of female-to-male labor force participation in Pakistan, year by year
| Year | % | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 2006 | 16.3% | — |
| 2007 | 25.5% | +56.3% |
| 2008 | 31.8% | +24.6% |
| 2009 | 20.7% | -34.7% |
| 2010 | 22.0% | +5.8% |
| 2011 | 23.8% | +8.5% |
| 2013 | 27.0% | +13.4% |
| 2014 | 29.2% | +8.1% |
| 2015 | 26.1% | -10.5% |
| 2016 | 10.8% | -58.6% |
| 2017 | 22.7% | +110.1% |
| 2018 | 23.7% | +4.5% |
| 2019 | 13.3% | -44.1% |
| 2021 | -5.1% | -138.6% |
Pakistan compared with similar countries
- Pakistan's -5.1% is below the median for lower middle income countries, which is 4.9%. (18 countries reporting)
- Pakistan's -5.1% is below the median for Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan, which is 5.4%. (5 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000s | 23.6% | 16.3% | 31.8% | 4 |
| 2010s | 22.1% | 10.8% | 29.2% | 9 |
| 2020s | -5.1% | -5.1% | -5.1% | 1 |
Countries ranked near Pakistan
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 gender wage gap vs. ratio of female-to-male labor force participation in Pakistan?
- Gender wage gap vs. ratio of female-to-male labor force participation in Pakistan was -5.1% in 2021, according to International Labour Organization (2026) – with major processing by Our World in Data.
- What is the highest gender wage gap vs. ratio of female-to-male labor force participation recorded in Pakistan?
- The highest recorded value was 31.8% in 2008.
- What is the lowest gender wage gap vs. ratio of female-to-male labor force participation recorded in Pakistan?
- The lowest recorded value was -5.1% in 2021.
- How does Pakistan rank for gender wage gap vs. ratio of female-to-male labor force participation?
- Pakistan ranks 57th out of 67 countries with data for 2021.
- Is gender wage gap vs. ratio of female-to-male labor force participation rising or falling in Pakistan?
- Over the last ten years it is down 121.5%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
- Where does this Pakistan data come from?
- The figures come from International Labour Organization (2026) – with major processing by Our World in Data, published as part of Gender wage gap vs. ratio of female-to-male labor force participation. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
CSV · JSON — 14 observations, free to reuse under CC BY 4.0 (Our World in Data).
About this data
Difference between average earnings of men and average earnings of women expressed as a percentage of average earnings of men.