Unemployment, youth female (% of female labor force ages 15-24) in South Asia
South Asia: Unemployment, youth female (% of female labor force ages 15-24) was 19.1% in 2025. ▲ Rising
Unemployment, youth female (% of female labor force ages 15-24) in South Asia, 1994–2025
Source: Labour Force Statistics database (LFS), International Labour Organization (ILO).
Analysis
In 2025, unemployment, youth female (% of female labor force ages 15-24) in South Asia stood at 19.1%.
Compared with earlier readings it is up 20.0% on the previous year and up 78.6% over ten years.
Over the whole period, unemployment, youth female (% of female labor force ages 15-24) in South Asia peaked at 26.2% in 2018 and was at its lowest, 5.2%, in 1994.
South Asia ranks 6th of 21 groups on this measure, in the top quarter.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 13 years of available data.
Unemployment, youth female (% of female labor force ages 15-24) in South Asia, year by year
| Year | Value | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1994 | 5.2% | — |
| 2000 | 7.8% | +49.5% |
| 2005 | 10.0% | +27.4% |
| 2010 | 10.1% | +1.9% |
| 2012 | 10.7% | +5.4% |
| 2018 | 26.2% | +145.0% |
| 2019 | 23.2% | -11.5% |
| 2020 | 25.7% | +10.7% |
| 2021 | 20.3% | -20.9% |
| 2022 | 18.0% | -11.5% |
| 2023 | 14.4% | -19.7% |
| 2024 | 15.9% | +10.4% |
| 2025 | 19.1% | +20.0% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1990s | 5.2% | 5.2% | 5.2% | 1 |
| 2000s | 8.9% | 7.8% | 10.0% | 2 |
| 2010s | 17.5% | 10.1% | 26.2% | 4 |
| 2020s | 18.9% | 14.4% | 25.7% | 6 |
Countries ranked near South Asia
More work & labour data for South Asia
- Labor force participation rate, female (% of female population ages) 33.0% (2025)
- Labor force participation rate, male (% of male population ages 15+) 77.4% (2025)
- Labor force participation rate, total (% of total population ages 15+) 55.6% (2025)
- Labor force participation rate for ages 15-24, female (%) 19.6% (2025)
- Labor force participation rate for ages 15-24, male (%) 45.4% (2025)
- Labor force participation rate for ages 15-24, total (%) 33.0% (2025)
- Ratio of female to male labor force participation rate (%) 42.6% (2025)
- Labor force participation rate, total (% of total population ages) 59.0% (2025)
- Labor force participation rate, female (% of female population ages) 35.5% (2025)
- Labor force participation rate, male (% of male population ages 15-64) 81.2% (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is unemployment, youth female (% of female labor force ages 15-24) in South Asia?
- Unemployment, youth female (% of female labor force ages 15-24) in South Asia was 19.1% in 2025, according to Labour Force Statistics database (LFS), International Labour Organization (ILO).
- What is the highest unemployment, youth female (% of female labor force ages 15-24) recorded in South Asia?
- The highest recorded value was 26.2% in 2018.
- What is the lowest unemployment, youth female (% of female labor force ages 15-24) recorded in South Asia?
- The lowest recorded value was 5.2% in 1994.
- How does South Asia rank for unemployment, youth female (% of female labor force ages 15-24)?
- South Asia ranks 6th out of 21 groups with data for 2025.
- Is unemployment, youth female (% of female labor force ages 15-24) rising or falling in South Asia?
- Over the last ten years it is up 78.6%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this South Asia data come from?
- The figures come from Labour Force Statistics database (LFS), International Labour Organization (ILO), published as part of Unemployment, youth female (% of female labor force ages 15-24) (national 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. Definitions of labor force and unemployment differ by country.