Wage and salaried workers, female (% of female employment) in South Asia
South Asia: Wage and salaried workers, female (% of female employment) was 23.2% in 2025. ▲ Rising
Wage and salaried workers, female (% of female employment) in South Asia, 1991–2025
Source: ILO Modelled Estimates database (ILOEST), International Labour Organization (ILO).
Analysis
In 2025, wage and salaried workers, female (% of female employment) in South Asia stood at 23.2%.
The figure is up 2.3% on the previous year and up 22.8% over ten years.
Over the whole period, wage and salaried workers, female (% of female employment) in South Asia peaked at 24.0% in 2021 and was at its lowest, 8.6%, in 1991.
That places South Asia 34th out of 47 groups with data for 2025, putting it in the middle of the range.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 35 years of available data.
Wage and salaried workers, female (% of female employment) in South Asia, year by year
| Year | Value | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1991 | 8.6% | — |
| 1992 | 8.6% | +0.9% |
| 1993 | 8.9% | +2.4% |
| 1994 | 9.1% | +2.4% |
| 1995 | 9.2% | +1.8% |
| 1996 | 9.5% | +2.7% |
| 1997 | 9.7% | +2.4% |
| 1998 | 10.0% | +2.6% |
| 1999 | 10.1% | +1.7% |
| 2000 | 10.3% | +1.8% |
| 2001 | 10.6% | +2.9% |
| 2002 | 10.8% | +1.6% |
| 2003 | 11.0% | +2.0% |
| 2004 | 11.3% | +2.4% |
| 2005 | 11.5% | +1.9% |
| 2006 | 11.7% | +2.0% |
| 2007 | 12.1% | +3.2% |
| 2008 | 12.4% | +3.1% |
| 2009 | 12.9% | +3.2% |
| 2010 | 13.4% | +4.0% |
| 2011 | 14.8% | +10.8% |
| 2012 | 16.3% | +10.4% |
| 2013 | 17.1% | +4.5% |
| 2014 | 17.9% | +5.0% |
| 2015 | 18.9% | +5.2% |
| 2016 | 19.8% | +5.2% |
| 2017 | 21.1% | +6.1% |
| 2018 | 22.0% | +4.5% |
| 2019 | 23.0% | +4.3% |
| 2020 | 23.6% | +2.9% |
| 2021 | 24.0% | +1.5% |
| 2022 | 23.7% | -1.3% |
| 2023 | 22.2% | -6.2% |
| 2024 | 22.7% | +2.0% |
| 2025 | 23.2% | +2.3% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1990s | 9.3% | 8.6% | 10.1% | 9 |
| 2000s | 11.4% | 10.3% | 12.9% | 10 |
| 2010s | 18.4% | 13.4% | 23.0% | 10 |
| 2020s | 23.2% | 22.2% | 24.0% | 6 |
Countries ranked near South Asia
More work & labour data for South Asia
- Labor force participation rate, male (% of male population ages 15-64) 81.2% (2025)
- Labor force participation rate for ages 15-24, male (%) 45.4% (2025)
- Labor force participation rate for ages 15-24, female (%) 19.6% (2025)
- Labor force participation rate for ages 15-24, total (%) 33.0% (2025)
- Labor force participation rate, female (% of female population ages) 35.5% (2025)
- Labor force participation rate, total (% of total population ages 15+) 55.6% (2025)
- Labor force participation rate, total (% of total population ages) 59.0% (2025)
- Labor force participation rate, male (% of male population ages 15+) 77.4% (2025)
- Labor force participation rate, female (% of female population ages) 33.0% (2025)
- Ratio of female to male labor force participation rate (%) 42.6% (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is wage and salaried workers, female (% of female employment) in South Asia?
- Wage and salaried workers, female (% of female employment) in South Asia was 23.2% in 2025, according to ILO Modelled Estimates database (ILOEST), International Labour Organization (ILO).
- What is the highest wage and salaried workers, female (% of female employment) recorded in South Asia?
- The highest recorded value was 24.0% in 2021.
- What is the lowest wage and salaried workers, female (% of female employment) recorded in South Asia?
- The lowest recorded value was 8.6% in 1991.
- How does South Asia rank for wage and salaried workers, female (% of female employment)?
- South Asia ranks 34th out of 47 groups with data for 2025.
- Is wage and salaried workers, female (% of female employment) rising or falling in South Asia?
- Over the last ten years it is up 22.8%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this South Asia data come from?
- The figures come from ILO Modelled Estimates database (ILOEST), International Labour Organization (ILO), published as part of Wage and salaried workers, female (% of female employment) (modeled ILO estimate). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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About this data
Wage and salaried workers (employees) are those workers who hold the type of jobs defined as "paid employment jobs," where the incumbents hold explicit (written or oral) or implicit employment contracts that give them a basic remuneration that is not directly dependent upon the revenue of the unit for which they work.