Labor force participation rate, female (% of female population ages) in Pakistan
Pakistan: Labor force participation rate, female (% of female population ages) was 25.6% in 2025. ▲ Rising
Labor force participation rate, female (% of female population ages) in Pakistan, 1990–2025
Source: ILO Modelled Estimates database (ILOEST), International Labour Organization (ILO).
Analysis
Pakistan recorded 25.6% for labor force participation rate, female (% of female population ages) in 2025.
Compared with earlier readings it is up 0.3% on the previous year and up 1.9% over ten years.
Over the whole period, labor force participation rate, female (% of female population ages) in Pakistan peaked at 25.8% in 2021 and was at its lowest, 11.7%, in 1990.
Pakistan ranks 171st of 187 countries on this measure, in the bottom quarter.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 36 years of available data.
Labor force participation rate, female (% of female population ages) in Pakistan, year by year
| Year | Value | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1990 | 11.7% | — |
| 1991 | 14.1% | +20.6% |
| 1992 | 14.2% | +0.2% |
| 1993 | 14.5% | +2.4% |
| 1994 | 14.9% | +2.8% |
| 1995 | 12.8% | -13.9% |
| 1996 | 14.0% | +8.8% |
| 1997 | 15.2% | +8.6% |
| 1998 | 15.4% | +1.7% |
| 1999 | 15.9% | +3.2% |
| 2000 | 16.4% | +3.1% |
| 2001 | 16.5% | +0.4% |
| 2002 | 16.5% | +0.5% |
| 2003 | 17.4% | +5.1% |
| 2004 | 18.2% | +4.9% |
| 2005 | 18.9% | +3.8% |
| 2006 | 19.7% | +3.8% |
| 2007 | 20.0% | +1.8% |
| 2008 | 20.6% | +2.9% |
| 2009 | 21.8% | +6.0% |
| 2010 | 23.0% | +5.4% |
| 2011 | 23.2% | +0.9% |
| 2012 | 23.5% | +1.1% |
| 2013 | 23.7% | +1.1% |
| 2014 | 24.0% | +1.3% |
| 2015 | 25.1% | +4.5% |
| 2016 | 24.2% | -3.6% |
| 2017 | 23.3% | -3.7% |
| 2018 | 22.5% | -3.7% |
| 2019 | 24.6% | +9.4% |
| 2020 | 24.8% | +0.8% |
| 2021 | 25.8% | +4.1% |
| 2022 | 25.5% | -1.2% |
| 2023 | 25.5% | -0.0% |
| 2024 | 25.5% | +0.1% |
| 2025 | 25.6% | +0.3% |
Pakistan compared with similar countries
- Pakistan's 25.6% is below the median for lower middle income countries, which is 51.4%, 50% of the median. (46 countries reporting)
- Pakistan's 25.6% is above the median for Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan, which is 25.4%, 1.0× the median. (23 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1990s | 14.3% | 11.7% | 15.9% | 10 |
| 2000s | 18.6% | 16.4% | 21.8% | 10 |
| 2010s | 23.7% | 22.5% | 25.1% | 10 |
| 2020s | 25.4% | 24.8% | 25.8% | 6 |
Countries ranked near Pakistan
- 168 Tunisia 30.5% compare
- 169 Nepal 29.6% compare
- 170 Mauritania 27.1% compare
- 172 Lebanon 25.4% compare
- 173 Tajikistan 23.2% compare
- 174 Sao Tome and Principe 22.8% 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 labor force participation rate, female (% of female population ages) in Pakistan?
- Labor force participation rate, female (% of female population ages) in Pakistan was 25.6% 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 Pakistan?
- The highest recorded value was 25.8% in 2021.
- What is the lowest labor force participation rate, female (% of female population ages) recorded in Pakistan?
- The lowest recorded value was 11.7% in 1990.
- How does Pakistan rank for labor force participation rate, female (% of female population ages)?
- Pakistan ranks 171st out of 187 countries with data for 2025.
- Is labor force participation rate, female (% of female population ages) rising or falling in Pakistan?
- Over the last ten years it is up 1.9%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this Pakistan 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.