Labor force participation rate, female (% of female population ages) in Africa Western and Central
Africa Western and Central: Labor force participation rate, female (% of female population ages) was 68.5% in 2025. ▼ Falling
Labor force participation rate, female (% of female population ages) in Africa Western and Central, 1990–2025
Source: ILO Modelled Estimates database (ILOEST), International Labour Organization (ILO).
Analysis
Africa Western and Central recorded 68.5% for labor force participation rate, female (% of female population ages) in 2025.
That represents a change of down 0.2% on the previous year and up 0.5% over ten years.
Over the whole period, labor force participation rate, female (% of female population ages) in Africa Western and Central peaked at 70.8% in 1995 and was at its lowest, 65.6%, in 2020.
Africa Western and Central ranks 7th of 47 groups on this measure, in the top quarter.
The long-run direction has been consistently falling across the 36 years of available data.
Labor force participation rate, female (% of female population ages) in Africa Western and Central, year by year
| Year | Value | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1990 | 69.5% | — |
| 1991 | 69.9% | +0.5% |
| 1992 | 70.3% | +0.6% |
| 1993 | 70.4% | +0.3% |
| 1994 | 70.8% | +0.4% |
| 1995 | 70.8% | +0.0% |
| 1996 | 70.7% | -0.2% |
| 1997 | 70.6% | -0.0% |
| 1998 | 70.6% | -0.1% |
| 1999 | 70.6% | +0.1% |
| 2000 | 70.6% | -0.0% |
| 2001 | 70.6% | -0.1% |
| 2002 | 70.6% | +0.1% |
| 2003 | 70.5% | -0.2% |
| 2004 | 70.5% | -0.1% |
| 2005 | 70.3% | -0.2% |
| 2006 | 70.3% | -0.1% |
| 2007 | 70.2% | -0.1% |
| 2008 | 70.0% | -0.3% |
| 2009 | 69.8% | -0.2% |
| 2010 | 69.6% | -0.3% |
| 2011 | 69.4% | -0.4% |
| 2012 | 69.2% | -0.2% |
| 2013 | 68.8% | -0.5% |
| 2014 | 68.4% | -0.6% |
| 2015 | 68.2% | -0.4% |
| 2016 | 67.9% | -0.3% |
| 2017 | 67.5% | -0.6% |
| 2018 | 67.2% | -0.5% |
| 2019 | 66.9% | -0.4% |
| 2020 | 65.6% | -2.0% |
| 2021 | 66.2% | +0.9% |
| 2022 | 66.9% | +1.0% |
| 2023 | 68.6% | +2.6% |
| 2024 | 68.6% | +0.0% |
| 2025 | 68.5% | -0.2% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1990s | 70.4% | 69.5% | 70.8% | 10 |
| 2000s | 70.3% | 69.8% | 70.6% | 10 |
| 2010s | 68.3% | 66.9% | 69.6% | 10 |
| 2020s | 67.4% | 65.6% | 68.6% | 6 |
Countries ranked near Africa Western and Central
More work & labour data for Africa Western and Central
- Labor force participation rate for ages 15-24, female (%) 49.9% (2025)
- Labor force participation rate, total (% of total population ages 15+) 72.3% (2025)
- Labor force participation rate, male (% of male population ages 15+) 77.3% (2025)
- Ratio of female to male labor force participation rate (%) 87.9% (2025)
- Labor force participation rate for ages 15-24, male (%) 54.5% (2025)
- Labor force participation rate, total (% of total population ages) 73.3% (2025)
- Labor force participation rate for ages 15-24, total (%) 52.2% (2025)
- Labor force participation rate, male (% of male population ages 15-64) 78.0% (2025)
- Labor force participation rate, female (% of female population ages) 67.3% (2025)
- Employment in industry, female (% of female employment) 14.7% (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is labor force participation rate, female (% of female population ages) in Africa Western and Central?
- Labor force participation rate, female (% of female population ages) in Africa Western and Central was 68.5% in 2025, according to ILO Modelled Estimates database (ILOEST), International Labour Organization (ILO).
- What is the highest labor force participation rate, female (% of female population ages) recorded in Africa Western and Central?
- The highest recorded value was 70.8% in 1995.
- What is the lowest labor force participation rate, female (% of female population ages) recorded in Africa Western and Central?
- The lowest recorded value was 65.6% in 2020.
- How does Africa Western and Central rank for labor force participation rate, female (% of female population ages)?
- Africa Western and Central ranks 7th out of 47 groups with data for 2025.
- Is labor force participation rate, female (% of female population ages) rising or falling in Africa Western and Central?
- Over the last ten years it is up 0.5%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
- Where does this Africa Western and Central data come from?
- The figures come from ILO Modelled Estimates database (ILOEST), International Labour Organization (ILO), published as part of Labor force participation rate, female (% of female population ages 15-64) (modeled ILO estimate). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
CSV · JSON — 36 observations, free to reuse under CC BY 4.0 (World Bank Open Data).
About this data
Labor force participation rate is the proportion of the population ages 15-64 that is economically active: all people who supply labor for the production of goods and services during a specified period.