Ratio of female to male labor force participation rate (%) in Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan
Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan: Ratio of female to male labor force participation rate (%) was 29.2% in 2025. ▲ Rising
Ratio of female to male labor force participation rate (%) in Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan, 1990–2025
Source: ILO Modelled Estimates database (ILOEST), International Labour Organization (ILO).
Analysis
In 2025, ratio of female to male labor force participation rate (%) in Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan stood at 29.2%.
That represents a change of up 0.2% on the previous year and down 3.0% over ten years.
Over the whole period, ratio of female to male labor force participation rate (%) in Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan peaked at 30.4% in 2016 and was at its lowest, 20.3%, in 1990.
Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan ranks 45th of 47 groups on this measure, in the bottom quarter.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 36 years of available data.
Ratio of female to male labor force participation rate (%) in Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan, year by year
| Year | Value | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1990 | 20.3% | — |
| 1991 | 21.5% | +5.8% |
| 1992 | 21.9% | +1.9% |
| 1993 | 22.0% | +0.6% |
| 1994 | 22.6% | +2.5% |
| 1995 | 21.8% | -3.4% |
| 1996 | 22.2% | +1.9% |
| 1997 | 22.6% | +2.0% |
| 1998 | 23.0% | +1.4% |
| 1999 | 23.6% | +2.9% |
| 2000 | 24.2% | +2.3% |
| 2001 | 24.5% | +1.4% |
| 2002 | 24.3% | -0.8% |
| 2003 | 25.0% | +2.9% |
| 2004 | 25.7% | +2.7% |
| 2005 | 26.4% | +2.8% |
| 2006 | 26.9% | +1.9% |
| 2007 | 27.5% | +2.1% |
| 2008 | 27.1% | -1.2% |
| 2009 | 28.0% | +3.2% |
| 2010 | 28.3% | +1.1% |
| 2011 | 28.3% | -0.1% |
| 2012 | 28.7% | +1.3% |
| 2013 | 28.8% | +0.3% |
| 2014 | 29.3% | +1.7% |
| 2015 | 30.1% | +3.0% |
| 2016 | 30.4% | +0.8% |
| 2017 | 29.9% | -1.6% |
| 2018 | 28.9% | -3.4% |
| 2019 | 29.2% | +1.0% |
| 2020 | 29.0% | -0.8% |
| 2021 | 29.2% | +0.7% |
| 2022 | 28.7% | -1.8% |
| 2023 | 29.2% | +1.8% |
| 2024 | 29.1% | -0.1% |
| 2025 | 29.2% | +0.2% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1990s | 22.1% | 20.3% | 23.6% | 10 |
| 2000s | 26.0% | 24.2% | 28.0% | 10 |
| 2010s | 29.2% | 28.3% | 30.4% | 10 |
| 2020s | 29.1% | 28.7% | 29.2% | 6 |
Countries ranked near Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan
- 42 Canada 87.3% compare
- 43 Netherlands 87.2% compare
- 44 Switzerland 87.2% compare
- 45 Laos 87.2% compare
- 46 Namibia 87.1% compare
- 47 Guinea-Bissau 86.6% compare
- 48 Eritrea 86.6% compare
More work & labour data for Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan
- Labor force participation rate, female (% of female population ages) 19.7% (2025)
- Labor force participation rate, total (% of total population ages 15+) 47.4% (2025)
- Labor force participation rate for ages 15-24, female (%) 14.1% (2025)
- Labor force participation rate for ages 15-24, male (%) 50.0% (2025)
- Labor force participation rate for ages 15-24, total (%) 32.6% (2025)
- Labor force participation rate, male (% of male population ages 15+) 73.3% (2025)
- Labor force participation rate, male (% of male population ages 15-64) 76.9% (2025)
- Labor force participation rate, total (% of total population ages) 50.2% (2025)
- Labor force participation rate, female (% of female population ages) 21.2% (2025)
- Wage and salaried workers, total (% of total employment) 61.0% (2025)
All data for Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan →
Frequently asked questions
- What is ratio of female to male labor force participation rate (%) in Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan?
- Ratio of female to male labor force participation rate (%) in Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan was 29.2% in 2025, according to ILO Modelled Estimates database (ILOEST), International Labour Organization (ILO).
- What is the highest ratio of female to male labor force participation rate (%) recorded in Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan?
- The highest recorded value was 30.4% in 2016.
- What is the lowest ratio of female to male labor force participation rate (%) recorded in Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan?
- The lowest recorded value was 20.3% in 1990.
- How does Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan rank for ratio of female to male labor force participation rate (%)?
- Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan ranks 45th out of 47 groups with data for 2025.
- Is ratio of female to male labor force participation rate (%) rising or falling in Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan?
- Over the last ten years it is down 3.0%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan data come from?
- The figures come from ILO Modelled Estimates database (ILOEST), International Labour Organization (ILO), published as part of Ratio of female to male labor force participation rate (%) (modeled ILO estimate). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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About this data
Labor force participation rate is the proportion of the population ages 15 and older that is economically active: all people who supply labor for the production of goods and services during a specified period.