Vulnerable employment, total (% of total employment) in Africa Eastern and Southern
Africa Eastern and Southern: Vulnerable employment, total (% of total employment) was 71.9% in 2025. ▬ Flat
Latest (2025)
71.9%
Change on year
down 0.2%
Rank
5th
of 47 groups
All-time high
72.3%
in 2023
All-time low
70.6%
in 2018
Years of data
35
1991–2025
Vulnerable employment, total (% of total employment) in Africa Eastern and Southern, 1991–2025
Source: ILO Modelled Estimates database (ILOEST), International Labour Organization (ILO).
Analysis
Africa Eastern and Southern recorded 71.9% for vulnerable employment, total (% of total employment) in 2025.
That represents a change of down 0.2% on the previous year and up 1.8% over ten years.
Over the whole period, vulnerable employment, total (% of total employment) in Africa Eastern and Southern peaked at 72.3% in 2023 and was at its lowest, 70.6%, in 2018.
Africa Eastern and Southern ranks 5th of 47 groups on this measure, in the top 10%.
Vulnerable employment, total (% of total employment) in Africa Eastern and Southern, year by year
| Year | Value | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1991 | 70.7% | — |
| 1992 | 71.0% | +0.3% |
| 1993 | 71.1% | +0.2% |
| 1994 | 71.4% | +0.5% |
| 1995 | 71.7% | +0.4% |
| 1996 | 71.6% | -0.2% |
| 1997 | 71.5% | -0.1% |
| 1998 | 71.5% | -0.1% |
| 1999 | 71.4% | -0.0% |
| 2000 | 71.5% | +0.1% |
| 2001 | 71.6% | +0.1% |
| 2002 | 71.6% | +0.1% |
| 2003 | 71.7% | +0.1% |
| 2004 | 71.7% | +0.0% |
| 2005 | 71.9% | +0.2% |
| 2006 | 71.8% | -0.1% |
| 2007 | 71.6% | -0.2% |
| 2008 | 71.5% | -0.1% |
| 2009 | 71.6% | +0.1% |
| 2010 | 71.8% | +0.2% |
| 2011 | 71.7% | -0.1% |
| 2012 | 71.5% | -0.3% |
| 2013 | 71.3% | -0.3% |
| 2014 | 70.9% | -0.6% |
| 2015 | 70.7% | -0.4% |
| 2016 | 70.7% | +0.0% |
| 2017 | 70.7% | -0.0% |
| 2018 | 70.6% | -0.1% |
| 2019 | 70.7% | +0.1% |
| 2020 | 71.7% | +1.3% |
| 2021 | 71.5% | -0.1% |
| 2022 | 71.4% | -0.2% |
| 2023 | 72.3% | +1.3% |
| 2024 | 72.0% | -0.3% |
| 2025 | 71.9% | -0.2% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1990s | 71.3% | 70.7% | 71.7% | 9 |
| 2000s | 71.7% | 71.5% | 71.9% | 10 |
| 2010s | 71.1% | 70.6% | 71.8% | 10 |
| 2020s | 71.8% | 71.4% | 72.3% | 6 |
Countries ranked near Africa Eastern and Southern
- 2 Sierra Leone 86.0% compare
- 3 Madagascar 84.4% compare
- 4 Ethiopia 84.1% compare
- 5 Niger 83.7% compare
- 6 Mozambique 83.7% compare
- 7 Burundi 83.7% compare
- 8 Tanzania, United Republic of 83.7% compare
More work & labour data for Africa Eastern and Southern
- Labor force participation rate for ages 15-24, male (%) 52.6% (2025)
- Labor force participation rate, male (% of male population ages 15+) 74.3% (2025)
- Labor force participation rate, total (% of total population ages 15+) 68.9% (2025)
- Labor force participation rate for ages 15-24, female (%) 48.9% (2025)
- Labor force participation rate for ages 15-24, total (%) 50.7% (2025)
- Labor force participation rate, male (% of male population ages 15-64) 75.4% (2025)
- Ratio of female to male labor force participation rate (%) 86.2% (2025)
- Labor force participation rate, female (% of female population ages) 63.7% (2025)
- Labor force participation rate, female (% of female population ages) 65.5% (2025)
- Labor force participation rate, total (% of total population ages) 70.4% (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is vulnerable employment, total (% of total employment) in Africa Eastern and Southern?
- Vulnerable employment, total (% of total employment) in Africa Eastern and Southern was 71.9% in 2025, according to ILO Modelled Estimates database (ILOEST), International Labour Organization (ILO).
- What is the highest vulnerable employment, total (% of total employment) recorded in Africa Eastern and Southern?
- The highest recorded value was 72.3% in 2023.
- What is the lowest vulnerable employment, total (% of total employment) recorded in Africa Eastern and Southern?
- The lowest recorded value was 70.6% in 2018.
- How does Africa Eastern and Southern rank for vulnerable employment, total (% of total employment)?
- Africa Eastern and Southern ranks 5th out of 47 groups with data for 2025.
- Is vulnerable employment, total (% of total employment) rising or falling in Africa Eastern and Southern?
- Over the last ten years it is up 1.8%. The long-run trend across the full record is flat.
- Where does this Africa Eastern and Southern data come from?
- The figures come from ILO Modelled Estimates database (ILOEST), International Labour Organization (ILO), published as part of Vulnerable employment, total (% of total employment) (modeled ILO estimate). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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About this data
Vulnerable employment is contributing family workers and own-account workers as a percentage of total employment.