Labor force participation rate for ages 15-24, female (%) in South Asia
South Asia: Labor force participation rate for ages 15-24, female (%) was 19.6% in 2025. ▼ Falling
Labor force participation rate for ages 15-24, female (%) in South Asia, 1990–2025
Source: ILO Modelled Estimates database (ILOEST), International Labour Organization (ILO).
Analysis
South Asia recorded 19.6% for labor force participation rate for ages 15-24, female (%) in 2025.
That represents a change of up 14.2% over ten years.
Over the whole period, labor force participation rate for ages 15-24, female (%) in South Asia peaked at 27.5% in 2000 and was at its lowest, 16.0%, in 2017.
That places South Asia 42nd out of 47 groups with data for 2025, putting it in the bottom quarter.
The long-run direction has been consistently falling across the 36 years of available data.
Labor force participation rate for ages 15-24, female (%) in South Asia, year by year
| Year | Value | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1990 | 24.9% | — |
| 1991 | 24.9% | +0.0% |
| 1992 | 24.9% | +0.1% |
| 1993 | 25.1% | +0.6% |
| 1994 | 25.2% | +0.5% |
| 1995 | 25.5% | +1.3% |
| 1996 | 25.9% | +1.6% |
| 1997 | 26.3% | +1.6% |
| 1998 | 26.9% | +2.1% |
| 1999 | 27.2% | +1.2% |
| 2000 | 27.5% | +1.2% |
| 2001 | 27.2% | -1.2% |
| 2002 | 26.8% | -1.3% |
| 2003 | 26.5% | -1.3% |
| 2004 | 26.1% | -1.3% |
| 2005 | 25.8% | -1.3% |
| 2006 | 24.4% | -5.2% |
| 2007 | 23.5% | -3.8% |
| 2008 | 22.6% | -3.8% |
| 2009 | 21.8% | -3.6% |
| 2010 | 21.0% | -3.6% |
| 2011 | 20.2% | -3.9% |
| 2012 | 19.4% | -3.8% |
| 2013 | 19.1% | -1.8% |
| 2014 | 18.1% | -5.1% |
| 2015 | 17.1% | -5.4% |
| 2016 | 16.1% | -5.9% |
| 2017 | 16.0% | -0.8% |
| 2018 | 16.0% | +0.1% |
| 2019 | 16.0% | +0.0% |
| 2020 | 16.1% | +0.3% |
| 2021 | 17.4% | +8.2% |
| 2022 | 18.5% | +6.7% |
| 2023 | 19.1% | +3.0% |
| 2024 | 19.6% | +2.5% |
| 2025 | 19.6% | -0.0% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1990s | 25.7% | 24.9% | 27.2% | 10 |
| 2000s | 25.2% | 21.8% | 27.5% | 10 |
| 2010s | 17.9% | 16.0% | 21.0% | 10 |
| 2020s | 18.4% | 16.1% | 19.6% | 6 |
Countries ranked near South Asia
More work & labour data for South Asia
- Labor force participation rate, male (% of male population ages 15-64) 81.2% (2025)
- Labor force participation rate for ages 15-24, male (%) 45.4% (2025)
- Labor force participation rate for ages 15-24, total (%) 33.0% (2025)
- Labor force participation rate, female (% of female population ages) 35.5% (2025)
- Labor force participation rate, total (% of total population ages 15+) 55.6% (2025)
- Labor force participation rate, total (% of total population ages) 59.0% (2025)
- Labor force participation rate, male (% of male population ages 15+) 77.4% (2025)
- Labor force participation rate, female (% of female population ages) 33.0% (2025)
- Ratio of female to male labor force participation rate (%) 42.6% (2025)
- Wage and salaried workers, total (% of total employment) 26.9% (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is labor force participation rate for ages 15-24, female (%) in South Asia?
- Labor force participation rate for ages 15-24, female (%) in South Asia was 19.6% in 2025, according to ILO Modelled Estimates database (ILOEST), International Labour Organization (ILO).
- What is the highest labor force participation rate for ages 15-24, female (%) recorded in South Asia?
- The highest recorded value was 27.5% in 2000.
- What is the lowest labor force participation rate for ages 15-24, female (%) recorded in South Asia?
- The lowest recorded value was 16.0% in 2017.
- How does South Asia rank for labor force participation rate for ages 15-24, female (%)?
- South Asia ranks 42nd out of 47 groups with data for 2025.
- Is labor force participation rate for ages 15-24, female (%) rising or falling in South Asia?
- Over the last ten years it is up 14.2%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
- Where does this South Asia data come from?
- The figures come from ILO Modelled Estimates database (ILOEST), International Labour Organization (ILO), published as part of Labor force participation rate for ages 15-24, female (%) (modeled ILO estimate). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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About this data
Labor force participation rate for ages 15-24 is the proportion of the population ages 15-24 that is economically active: all people who supply labor for the production of goods and services during a specified period.