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 30.6% in 2021. ▲ Rising

Latest (2021)
30.6%
Change on year
up 19.4%
Rank
22nd
of 24 groups
All-time high
31.3%
in 2016
All-time low
25.0%
in 2000
Years of data
17
2000–2021

Ratio of female to male labor force participation rate (%) in Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan, 2000–2021

01020302000201020212000: 252005: 27.22006: 27.62007: 27.72008: 28.82009: 28.52010: 29.12011: 29.12012: 28.22013: 29.32014: 28.52015: 31.12016: 31.32018: 30.12019: 31.12020: 25.62021: 30.6

Source: Labour Force Statistics database (LFS), International Labour Organization (ILO).

Analysis

Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan recorded 30.6% for ratio of female to male labor force participation rate (%) in 2021.

The figure is up 19.4% on the previous year and up 5.3% 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 31.3% in 2016 and was at its lowest, 25.0%, in 2000.

That places Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan 22nd out of 24 groups with data for 2021, putting it in the bottom quarter.

The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 17 years of available data.

Ratio of female to male labor force participation rate (%) in Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan, year by year

Annual values for Ratio of female to male labor force participation rate (%) (national estimate) in Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan, 2000 to 2021.
Year Value Change
2000 25.0%
2005 27.2% +8.6%
2006 27.6% +1.6%
2007 27.7% +0.3%
2008 28.8% +3.9%
2009 28.5% -1.0%
2010 29.1% +2.2%
2011 29.1% -0.2%
2012 28.2% -3.0%
2013 29.3% +4.0%
2014 28.5% -2.7%
2015 31.1% +9.3%
2016 31.3% +0.5%
2018 30.1% -3.9%
2019 31.1% +3.2%
2020 25.6% -17.5%
2021 30.6% +19.4%

Averages by decade

DecadeAverage LowestHighest Years
2000s 27.4% 25.0% 28.8% 6
2010s 29.8% 28.2% 31.3% 9
2020s 28.1% 25.6% 30.6% 2

Countries ranked near Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan

  1. 19 Rwanda 92.0% compare
  2. 20 Sweden 91.8% compare
  3. 21 Tanzania 91.5% compare
  4. 22 Bahamas 91.4% compare
  5. 23 Iceland 91.0% compare
  6. 24 Vanuatu 91.0% compare
  7. 25 Curacao 90.9% compare

See the full ranking of 220 places →

More work & labour data for Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan

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 30.6% in 2021, according to Labour Force Statistics database (LFS), 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 31.3% 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 25.0% in 2000.
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 22nd out of 24 groups with data for 2021.
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 up 5.3%. 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 Labour Force Statistics database (LFS), International Labour Organization (ILO), published as part of Ratio of female to male labor force participation rate (%) (national estimate). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.

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Ratio of female to male labor force participation rate (%) in Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan. Statizoid, drawing on Labour Force Statistics database (LFS), International Labour Organization (ILO). Retrieved 18 September 2026, from https://labour.statizoid.com/stat/ratio-of-female-to-male-labor-force-participation-rate-percent-national-estimate/middle-east-north-africa-afghanistan-and-pakistan/

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About this data

Indicator
Ratio of female to male labor force participation rate (%) (national estimate)
Source
Labour Force Statistics database (LFS), International Labour Organization (ILO)
Licence
CC BY 4.0 (World Bank Open Data)
Coverage
220 places, 5,351 data points, 1960–2025
Last refreshed

Ratio of female to male labor force participation rate is the proportion of female labor force participation relative to male labor force participation. 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.