Labor force participation rate, female (% of female population ages) in Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan (IDA & IBRD)
Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan (IDA & IBRD): Labor force participation rate, female (% of female population ages) was 17.7% in 2025. ▲ Rising
Labor force participation rate, female (% of female population ages) in Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan (IDA & IBRD), 1990–2025
Source: ILO Modelled Estimates database (ILOEST), International Labour Organization (ILO).
Analysis
Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan (IDA & IBRD) recorded 17.7% for labor force participation rate, female (% of female population ages) in 2025.
That represents a change of down 0.3% on the previous year and down 10.9% over ten years.
Over the whole period, labor force participation rate, female (% of female population ages) in Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan (IDA & IBRD) peaked at 19.9% in 2016 and was at its lowest, 14.7%, in 1990.
That places Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan (IDA & IBRD) 46th out of 47 groups with data for 2025, putting it 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 Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan (IDA & IBRD), year by year
| Year | Value | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1990 | 14.7% | — |
| 1991 | 15.6% | +5.9% |
| 1992 | 15.8% | +1.4% |
| 1993 | 15.9% | +0.3% |
| 1994 | 16.2% | +2.1% |
| 1995 | 15.4% | -4.7% |
| 1996 | 15.7% | +2.0% |
| 1997 | 16.1% | +2.3% |
| 1998 | 16.2% | +0.8% |
| 1999 | 16.7% | +3.2% |
| 2000 | 17.0% | +1.8% |
| 2001 | 17.2% | +0.7% |
| 2002 | 16.9% | -1.6% |
| 2003 | 17.4% | +2.9% |
| 2004 | 17.9% | +2.9% |
| 2005 | 18.3% | +2.6% |
| 2006 | 18.6% | +1.2% |
| 2007 | 18.9% | +1.6% |
| 2008 | 18.4% | -2.3% |
| 2009 | 19.1% | +3.5% |
| 2010 | 19.3% | +1.3% |
| 2011 | 19.0% | -1.4% |
| 2012 | 19.2% | +0.9% |
| 2013 | 19.2% | -0.0% |
| 2014 | 19.3% | +0.6% |
| 2015 | 19.8% | +2.7% |
| 2016 | 19.9% | +0.4% |
| 2017 | 19.5% | -2.0% |
| 2018 | 18.5% | -4.9% |
| 2019 | 18.5% | -0.3% |
| 2020 | 17.5% | -5.6% |
| 2021 | 17.7% | +1.6% |
| 2022 | 17.2% | -3.1% |
| 2023 | 17.8% | +3.4% |
| 2024 | 17.7% | -0.3% |
| 2025 | 17.7% | -0.3% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1990s | 15.8% | 14.7% | 16.7% | 10 |
| 2000s | 18.0% | 16.9% | 19.1% | 10 |
| 2010s | 19.2% | 18.5% | 19.9% | 10 |
| 2020s | 17.6% | 17.2% | 17.8% | 6 |
Countries ranked near Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan (IDA & IBRD)
More work & labour data for Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan (IDA & IBRD)
- Labor force participation rate, male (% of male population ages 15+) 71.7% (2025)
- Ratio of female to male labor force participation rate (%) 25.1% (2025)
- Labor force participation rate, total (% of total population ages) 47.6% (2025)
- Labor force participation rate, male (% of male population ages 15-64) 75.4% (2025)
- Labor force participation rate, female (% of female population ages) 19.0% (2025)
- Labor force participation rate for ages 15-24, total (%) 32.2% (2025)
- Labor force participation rate, total (% of total population ages 15+) 44.9% (2025)
- Labor force participation rate for ages 15-24, female (%) 13.4% (2025)
- Labor force participation rate for ages 15-24, male (%) 50.1% (2025)
- Wage and salaried workers, male (% of male employment) 56.0% (2025)
All data for Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan (IDA & IBRD) →
Frequently asked questions
- What is labor force participation rate, female (% of female population ages) in Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan (IDA & IBRD)?
- Labor force participation rate, female (% of female population ages) in Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan (IDA & IBRD) was 17.7% 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 Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan (IDA & IBRD)?
- The highest recorded value was 19.9% in 2016.
- What is the lowest labor force participation rate, female (% of female population ages) recorded in Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan (IDA & IBRD)?
- The lowest recorded value was 14.7% in 1990.
- How does Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan (IDA & IBRD) rank for labor force participation rate, female (% of female population ages)?
- Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan (IDA & IBRD) ranks 46th out of 47 groups with data for 2025.
- Is labor force participation rate, female (% of female population ages) rising or falling in Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan (IDA & IBRD)?
- Over the last ten years it is down 10.9%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan (IDA & IBRD) 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+) (modeled ILO estimate). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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About this data
The labor force participation rate is the labor force as a percent of the population ages 15 and older. The labor force is the sum of all persons of working age who are employed and those who are unemployed.