Ratio of female to male labor force participation rates in South Africa
South Africa: Ratio of female to male labor force participation rates was 80.8% in 2025. ▲ Rising
Ratio of female to male labor force participation rates in South Africa, 1990–2025
Source: International Labour Organization (ILOEST/ILOSTAT) and World Bank staff estimates (2026) – processed by Our World in Data. Measured in %.
Analysis
The most recent figure for ratio of female to male labor force participation rates in South Africa is 80.8%, measured in 2025. That is the highest value across all 36 years on record.
Compared with earlier readings it is up 0.2% on the previous year and up 5.2% over ten years.
Over the whole period, ratio of female to male labor force participation rates in South Africa peaked at 80.8% in 2025 and was at its lowest, 63.0%, in 1990.
South Africa ranks 85th of 186 countries on this measure, in the middle of the range.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 36 years of available data.
Ratio of female to male labor force participation rates in South Africa, year by year
| Year | % | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1990 | 63.0% | — |
| 1991 | 63.3% | +0.4% |
| 1992 | 63.2% | -0.1% |
| 1993 | 63.6% | +0.6% |
| 1994 | 63.7% | +0.1% |
| 1995 | 63.3% | -0.6% |
| 1996 | 63.2% | -0.1% |
| 1997 | 63.6% | +0.6% |
| 1998 | 64.5% | +1.4% |
| 1999 | 65.5% | +1.6% |
| 2000 | 66.7% | +1.7% |
| 2001 | 67.9% | +1.8% |
| 2002 | 69.2% | +1.9% |
| 2003 | 70.4% | +1.8% |
| 2004 | 71.5% | +1.6% |
| 2005 | 72.5% | +1.3% |
| 2006 | 73.2% | +1.1% |
| 2007 | 73.9% | +0.9% |
| 2008 | 74.4% | +0.7% |
| 2009 | 74.2% | -0.4% |
| 2010 | 73.7% | -0.6% |
| 2011 | 75.2% | +2.0% |
| 2012 | 74.9% | -0.4% |
| 2013 | 76.3% | +1.9% |
| 2014 | 76.4% | +0.1% |
| 2015 | 76.8% | +0.5% |
| 2016 | 76.5% | -0.3% |
| 2017 | 77.4% | +1.2% |
| 2018 | 77.7% | +0.3% |
| 2019 | 77.6% | -0.1% |
| 2020 | 76.7% | -1.1% |
| 2021 | 76.7% | -0.0% |
| 2022 | 78.0% | +1.7% |
| 2023 | 79.8% | +2.3% |
| 2024 | 80.6% | +1.0% |
| 2025 | 80.8% | +0.2% |
South Africa compared with similar countries
- South Africa's 80.8% is above the median for upper middle income countries, which is 71.8%, 1.1× the median. (53 countries reporting)
- South Africa's 80.8% is below the median for Sub-Saharan Africa, which is 86.1%, 94% of the median. (47 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1990s | 63.7% | 63.0% | 65.5% | 10 |
| 2000s | 71.4% | 66.7% | 74.4% | 10 |
| 2010s | 76.2% | 73.7% | 77.7% | 10 |
| 2020s | 78.8% | 76.7% | 80.8% | 6 |
Countries ranked near South Africa
More work & labour data for South Africa
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Total Population - Both sexes, annual 0.2264 % change on previous year (2100)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Total Population - Male, annual growth 0.242 % change on previous year (2100)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Total Population - Female, annual growth 0.2122 % change on previous year (2100)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Rural population, annual growth rate -1.23 % change on previous year (2050)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Urban population, annual growth rate 0.8748 % change on previous year (2050)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Urban population 58,057 1000 No (2050)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Rural population 14,698 1000 No (2050)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Total Population - Female 49,126 1000 No (2100)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Total Population - Male 45,189 1000 No (2100)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Total Population - Both sexes 94,314 1000 No (2100)
Frequently asked questions
- What is ratio of female to male labor force participation rates in South Africa?
- Ratio of female to male labor force participation rates in South Africa was 80.8% in 2025, according to International Labour Organization (ILOEST/ILOSTAT) and World Bank staff estimates (2026) – processed by Our World in Data.
- What is the highest ratio of female to male labor force participation rates recorded in South Africa?
- The highest recorded value was 80.8% in 2025.
- What is the lowest ratio of female to male labor force participation rates recorded in South Africa?
- The lowest recorded value was 63.0% in 1990.
- How does South Africa rank for ratio of female to male labor force participation rates?
- South Africa ranks 85th out of 186 countries with data for 2025.
- Is ratio of female to male labor force participation rates rising or falling in South Africa?
- Over the last ten years it is up 5.2%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this South Africa data come from?
- The figures come from International Labour Organization (ILOEST/ILOSTAT) and World Bank staff estimates (2026) – processed by Our World in Data, published as part of Ratio of female to male labor force participation rates. 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
This ratio is calculated by dividing the labor force participation rate among women by the corresponding rate for men. The labor force participation rate is the share of the working-age population (ages 15 and over) who are economically active (employed or unemployed).