Share of workers in vulnerable employment in Malawi
Malawi: Share of workers in vulnerable employment was 59.9% in 2025. ▼ Falling
Share of workers in vulnerable employment in Malawi, 1991–2025
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 share of workers in vulnerable employment in Malawi is 59.9%, measured in 2025. That is the lowest value across all 35 years on record.
That represents a change of down 0.1% on the previous year and down 1.8% over ten years.
Over the whole period, share of workers in vulnerable employment in Malawi peaked at 64.1% in 1994 and was at its lowest, 59.9%, in 2025.
Malawi ranks 41st of 186 countries on this measure, in the top quarter.
The long-run direction has been consistently falling across the 35 years of available data.
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1990s | 63.7% | 63.0% | 64.1% | 9 |
| 2000s | 62.7% | 62.0% | 62.9% | 10 |
| 2010s | 61.1% | 60.7% | 61.8% | 10 |
| 2020s | 60.1% | 59.9% | 60.7% | 6 |
Countries ranked near Malawi
More work & labour data for Malawi
- Legislation on sexual harassment in employment 1 (1=yes; 0=no) (2023)
- Criminal sanctions or compensation for workplace sexual harassment 1 (1=yes; 0=no) (2023)
- Women can take the same jobs as men 1 (1=yes; 0=no) (2023)
- Labor force participation rate, total (% of total population ages 15+) 62.6% (2025)
- Labor force participation rate, male (% of male population ages 15+) 67.3% (2025)
- Ratio of female to male labor force participation rate (%) 86.4% (2025)
- Labor force participation rate, female (% of female population ages 15 58.2% (2025)
- Labor force participation rate, total (% of total population ages 15-6 63.2% (2025)
- Labor force participation rate, male (% of male population ages 15-64) 67.8% (2025)
- Labor force participation rate, female (% of female population ages 15 59.0% (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is share of workers in vulnerable employment in Malawi?
- Share of workers in vulnerable employment in Malawi was 59.9% 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 share of workers in vulnerable employment recorded in Malawi?
- The highest recorded value was 64.1% in 1994.
- What is the lowest share of workers in vulnerable employment recorded in Malawi?
- The lowest recorded value was 59.9% in 2025.
- How does Malawi rank for share of workers in vulnerable employment?
- Malawi ranks 41st out of 186 countries with data for 2025.
- Is share of workers in vulnerable employment rising or falling in Malawi?
- Over the last ten years it is down 1.8%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
- Where does this Malawi 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 Share of workers in vulnerable employment. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
CSV · JSON — 35 observations, free to reuse under CC BY 4.0 (Our World in Data).
About this data
Share of employed population who are working as independent own-account workers (self-employed without staff), or contributing family workers (self-employed in a household business or farm).