Unemployment, female (% of female labor force) in Malawi

Malawi: Unemployment, female (% of female labor force) was 18.0% in 2024. ◆ Volatile

Latest (2024)
18.0%
World rank
17th
of 181 countries
All-time high
18.0%
in 2024
All-time low
0.0%
in 1998
Years of data
10
1983–2024

Unemployment, female (% of female labor force) in Malawi, 1983–2024

051015201983200320241983: 5.91987: 0.51998: 02004: 5.42005: 0.762011: 1.82013: 5.82017: 4.42020: 1.12024: 18

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

Analysis

Malawi recorded 18.0% for unemployment, female (% of female labor force) in 2024. That is the highest value across all 10 years on record.

Compared with earlier readings it is up 208.2% over ten years.

Over the whole period, unemployment, female (% of female labor force) in Malawi peaked at 18.0% in 2024 and was at its lowest, 0.0%, in 1998.

That places Malawi 17th out of 181 countries with data for 2024, putting it in the top 10%.

The series is highly variable year to year, so single readings are best treated with caution.

Unemployment, female (% of female labor force) in Malawi, year by year

Annual values for Unemployment, female (% of female labor force) (national estimate) in Malawi, 1983 to 2024.
Year Value Change
1983 5.9%
1987 0.5% -91.5%
1998 0.0% -100.0%
2004 5.4%
2005 0.8% -86.0%
2011 1.8% +132.1%
2013 5.8% +231.1%
2017 4.4% -24.6%
2020 1.1% -76.0%
2024 18.0% +1602.9%

Averages by decade

DecadeAverage LowestHighest Years
1980s 3.2% 0.5% 5.9% 2
1990s 0.0% 0.0% 0.0% 1
2000s 3.1% 0.8% 5.4% 2
2010s 4.0% 1.8% 5.8% 3
2020s 9.5% 1.1% 18.0% 2

Countries ranked near Malawi

  1. 14 Namibia 18.6% compare
  2. 15 Kosovo 18.3% compare
  3. 15 Kosovo (UNSCR 1244) 18.3% compare
  4. 18 Guyana 17.7% compare
  5. 19 Haiti 17.3% compare
  6. 20 Morocco 17.1% compare

See the full ranking of 205 places →

More work & labour data for Malawi

All data for Malawi →

Frequently asked questions

What is unemployment, female (% of female labor force) in Malawi?
Unemployment, female (% of female labor force) in Malawi was 18.0% in 2024, according to Labour Force Statistics database (LFS), International Labour Organization (ILO).
What is the highest unemployment, female (% of female labor force) recorded in Malawi?
The highest recorded value was 18.0% in 2024.
What is the lowest unemployment, female (% of female labor force) recorded in Malawi?
The lowest recorded value was 0.0% in 1998.
How does Malawi rank for unemployment, female (% of female labor force)?
Malawi ranks 17th out of 181 countries with data for 2024.
Is unemployment, female (% of female labor force) rising or falling in Malawi?
Over the last ten years it is up 208.2%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
Where does this Malawi data come from?
The figures come from Labour Force Statistics database (LFS), International Labour Organization (ILO), published as part of Unemployment, female (% of female labor force) (national estimate). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.

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Unemployment, female (% of female labor force) in Malawi. Statizoid, drawing on Labour Force Statistics database (LFS), International Labour Organization (ILO). Retrieved 11 September 2026, from https://labour.statizoid.com/stat/unemployment-female-percent-of-female-labor-force-national-estimate/malawi/

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About this data

Indicator
Unemployment, female (% of female labor force) (national estimate)
Source
Labour Force Statistics database (LFS), International Labour Organization (ILO)
Licence
CC BY 4.0 (World Bank Open Data)
Coverage
205 places, 5,402 data points, 1960–2025
Last refreshed

Unemployment refers to the share of the labor force that is without work but available for and seeking employment. Definitions of labor force and unemployment differ by country.