Unemployment, youth female (% of female labor force ages 15-24) in Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan (IDA & IBRD)
Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan (IDA & IBRD): Unemployment, youth female (% of female labor force ages 15-24) was 29.1% in 2025. ▲ Rising
Unemployment, youth female (% of female labor force ages 15-24) in Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan (IDA & IBRD), 1991–2025
Source: ILO Modelled Estimates database (ILOEST), International Labour Organization (ILO).
Analysis
The most recent figure for unemployment, youth female (% of female labor force ages 15-24) in Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan (IDA & IBRD) is 29.1%, measured in 2025.
Compared with earlier readings it is up 1.3% on the previous year and up 5.5% over ten years.
Over the whole period, unemployment, youth female (% of female labor force ages 15-24) in Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan (IDA & IBRD) peaked at 32.5% in 2020 and was at its lowest, 19.1%, in 1996.
That places Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan (IDA & IBRD) 2nd out of 47 groups with data for 2025, putting it in the top 10%.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 35 years of available data.
Unemployment, youth female (% of female labor force ages 15-24) in Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan (IDA & IBRD), year by year
| Year | Value | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1991 | 20.9% | — |
| 1992 | 19.5% | -6.7% |
| 1993 | 21.0% | +7.7% |
| 1994 | 21.4% | +1.7% |
| 1995 | 21.8% | +2.0% |
| 1996 | 19.1% | -12.3% |
| 1997 | 19.8% | +3.8% |
| 1998 | 20.3% | +2.6% |
| 1999 | 20.1% | -1.1% |
| 2000 | 22.6% | +12.1% |
| 2001 | 23.3% | +3.3% |
| 2002 | 22.1% | -5.3% |
| 2003 | 21.3% | -3.4% |
| 2004 | 21.3% | -0.2% |
| 2005 | 22.0% | +3.5% |
| 2006 | 22.1% | +0.4% |
| 2007 | 21.3% | -3.7% |
| 2008 | 22.9% | +7.7% |
| 2009 | 22.5% | -2.0% |
| 2010 | 24.3% | +8.3% |
| 2011 | 24.4% | +0.2% |
| 2012 | 26.3% | +8.0% |
| 2013 | 26.5% | +0.8% |
| 2014 | 25.9% | -2.4% |
| 2015 | 27.5% | +6.3% |
| 2016 | 25.8% | -6.4% |
| 2017 | 27.8% | +7.9% |
| 2018 | 29.6% | +6.5% |
| 2019 | 30.1% | +1.6% |
| 2020 | 32.5% | +8.2% |
| 2021 | 31.4% | -3.4% |
| 2022 | 28.9% | -8.2% |
| 2023 | 28.3% | -2.1% |
| 2024 | 28.7% | +1.5% |
| 2025 | 29.1% | +1.3% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1990s | 20.4% | 19.1% | 21.8% | 9 |
| 2000s | 22.1% | 21.3% | 23.3% | 10 |
| 2010s | 26.8% | 24.3% | 30.1% | 10 |
| 2020s | 29.8% | 28.3% | 32.5% | 6 |
Countries ranked near Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan (IDA & IBRD)
More work & labour data for Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan (IDA & IBRD)
- Labor force participation rate for ages 15-24, male (%) 50.1% (2025)
- Labor force participation rate, female (% of female population ages) 17.7% (2025)
- Labor force participation rate, total (% of total population ages) 47.6% (2025)
- Labor force participation rate, male (% of male population ages 15-64) 75.4% (2025)
- Labor force participation rate, female (% of female population ages) 19.0% (2025)
- Labor force participation rate for ages 15-24, total (%) 32.2% (2025)
- Ratio of female to male labor force participation rate (%) 25.1% (2025)
- Labor force participation rate for ages 15-24, female (%) 13.4% (2025)
- Labor force participation rate, total (% of total population ages 15+) 44.9% (2025)
- Labor force participation rate, male (% of male population ages 15+) 71.7% (2025)
All data for Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan (IDA & IBRD) →
Frequently asked questions
- What is unemployment, youth female (% of female labor force ages 15-24) in Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan (IDA & IBRD)?
- Unemployment, youth female (% of female labor force ages 15-24) in Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan (IDA & IBRD) was 29.1% in 2025, according to ILO Modelled Estimates database (ILOEST), International Labour Organization (ILO).
- What is the highest unemployment, youth female (% of female labor force ages 15-24) recorded in Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan (IDA & IBRD)?
- The highest recorded value was 32.5% in 2020.
- What is the lowest unemployment, youth female (% of female labor force ages 15-24) recorded in Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan (IDA & IBRD)?
- The lowest recorded value was 19.1% in 1996.
- How does Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan (IDA & IBRD) rank for unemployment, youth female (% of female labor force ages 15-24)?
- Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan (IDA & IBRD) ranks 2nd out of 47 groups with data for 2025.
- Is unemployment, youth female (% of female labor force ages 15-24) rising or falling in Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan (IDA & IBRD)?
- Over the last ten years it is up 5.5%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan (IDA & IBRD) data come from?
- The figures come from ILO Modelled Estimates database (ILOEST), International Labour Organization (ILO), published as part of Unemployment, youth female (% of female labor force ages 15-24) (modeled ILO estimate). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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About this data
Youth unemployment refers to the share of the labor force ages 15-24 without work but available for and seeking employment.