Female share of the labor force in Sierra Leone
Sierra Leone: Female share of the labor force was 48.8% in 2025. ▼ Falling
Female share of the labor force in Sierra Leone, 1990–2025
Source: International Labour Organization and UN Population Division, via World Bank (2026) – processed by Our World in Data. Measured in %.
Analysis
In 2025, female share of the labor force in Sierra Leone stood at 48.8%.
Compared with earlier readings it is down 1.9% over ten years.
Over the whole period, female share of the labor force in Sierra Leone peaked at 51.8% in 1990 and was at its lowest, 48.2%, in 2018.
Sierra Leone ranks 26th of 186 countries on this measure, in the top quarter.
The long-run direction has been consistently falling across the 36 years of available data.
Female share of the labor force in Sierra Leone, year by year
| Year | % | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1990 | 51.8% | — |
| 1991 | 51.8% | -0.1% |
| 1992 | 51.7% | -0.1% |
| 1993 | 51.7% | -0.1% |
| 1994 | 51.6% | -0.1% |
| 1995 | 51.5% | -0.1% |
| 1996 | 51.5% | -0.1% |
| 1997 | 51.4% | -0.1% |
| 1998 | 51.4% | -0.1% |
| 1999 | 51.4% | +0.0% |
| 2000 | 51.4% | -0.0% |
| 2001 | 51.3% | -0.1% |
| 2002 | 51.3% | -0.1% |
| 2003 | 51.2% | -0.1% |
| 2004 | 51.0% | -0.4% |
| 2005 | 50.9% | -0.2% |
| 2006 | 50.8% | -0.2% |
| 2007 | 50.7% | -0.2% |
| 2008 | 50.7% | -0.2% |
| 2009 | 50.6% | -0.2% |
| 2010 | 50.5% | -0.1% |
| 2011 | 50.4% | -0.2% |
| 2012 | 50.3% | -0.2% |
| 2013 | 50.3% | -0.2% |
| 2014 | 50.2% | -0.2% |
| 2015 | 49.7% | -0.9% |
| 2016 | 49.2% | -1.0% |
| 2017 | 48.7% | -1.0% |
| 2018 | 48.2% | -1.0% |
| 2019 | 48.4% | +0.5% |
| 2020 | 48.4% | -0.0% |
| 2021 | 48.5% | +0.1% |
| 2022 | 48.5% | +0.1% |
| 2023 | 48.7% | +0.4% |
| 2024 | 48.8% | +0.1% |
| 2025 | 48.8% | -0.0% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1990s | 51.6% | 51.4% | 51.8% | 10 |
| 2000s | 51.0% | 50.6% | 51.4% | 10 |
| 2010s | 49.6% | 48.2% | 50.5% | 10 |
| 2020s | 48.6% | 48.4% | 48.8% | 6 |
Countries ranked near Sierra Leone
More work & labour data for Sierra Leone
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Total Population - Both sexes, annual -0.1141 % change on previous year (2100)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Total Population - Male, annual growth -0.1389 % change on previous year (2100)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Total Population - Female, annual growth -0.091 % change on previous year (2100)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Rural population, annual growth rate -0.2881 % change on previous year (2050)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Urban population, annual growth rate 2.17 % change on previous year (2050)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Urban population 7,725 1000 No (2050)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Rural population 5,247 1000 No (2050)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Total Population - Female 8,103 1000 No (2100)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Total Population - Male 7,832 1000 No (2100)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Total Population - Both sexes 15,934 1000 No (2100)
Frequently asked questions
- What is female share of the labor force in Sierra Leone?
- Female share of the labor force in Sierra Leone was 48.8% in 2025, according to International Labour Organization and UN Population Division, via World Bank (2026) – processed by Our World in Data.
- What is the highest female share of the labor force recorded in Sierra Leone?
- The highest recorded value was 51.8% in 1990.
- What is the lowest female share of the labor force recorded in Sierra Leone?
- The lowest recorded value was 48.2% in 2018.
- How does Sierra Leone rank for female share of the labor force?
- Sierra Leone ranks 26th out of 186 countries with data for 2025.
- Is female share of the labor force rising or falling in Sierra Leone?
- Over the last ten years it is down 1.9%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
- Where does this Sierra Leone data come from?
- The figures come from International Labour Organization and UN Population Division, via World Bank (2026) – processed by Our World in Data, published as part of Female share of the labor force. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
CSV · JSON — 36 observations, free to reuse under CC BY 4.0 (Our World in Data).
About this data
Share of the working-age population economically active (employed or unemployed) who are female.