Ratio of female to male labor force participation rate (%) (modeled ILO estimate) - Country Ranking - Africa

Definition: Labor force participation rate is the proportion of the population ages 15 and older that is economically active: all people who supply labor for the production of goods and services during a specified period. Ratio of female to male labor force participation rate is calculated by dividing female labor force participation rate by male labor force participation rate and multiplying by 100.

Source: Derived using data from International Labour Organization, ILOSTAT database. Data retrieved in September 2019.

See also: Thematic map, Time series comparison

Find indicator:
Rank Country Value Year
1 Burundi 102.08 2021
2 Rwanda 100.33 2021
3 Sierra Leone 100.29 2021
4 Guinea 99.80 2021
5 Mozambique 98.39 2021
6 Congo 96.24 2021
7 Benin 95.50 2021
8 Kenya 93.94 2021
9 Angola 93.55 2021
10 Togo 93.46 2021
11 Madagascar 93.08 2021
12 Tanzania 91.31 2021
13 Uganda 90.00 2021
14 Malawi 89.50 2021
15 Ghana 89.33 2021
16 Zimbabwe 89.18 2021
17 Zambia 88.93 2021
18 Dem. Rep. Congo 88.63 2021
19 Namibia 87.70 2021
20 Liberia 87.54 2021
21 Cameroon 86.88 2021
22 Botswana 86.39 2021
23 Ethiopia 85.42 2021
24 Equatorial Guinea 85.37 2021
25 Eswatini 85.11 2021
26 Eritrea 83.93 2021
27 Guinea-Bissau 81.49 2021
28 Nigeria 80.43 2021
29 Central African Republic 79.65 2021
30 Burkina Faso 78.70 2021
31 Lesotho 78.59 2021
32 South Africa 77.17 2021
33 Cabo Verde 76.02 2021
34 The Gambia 73.83 2021
35 Niger 73.26 2021
36 Mali 72.39 2021
37 Côte d'Ivoire 70.76 2021
38 Gabon 68.61 2021
39 Chad 67.09 2021
40 Mauritius 61.61 2021
41 Senegal 59.07 2021
42 Comoros 58.90 2021
43 Libya 55.96 2021
44 São Tomé and Principe 53.15 2021
45 Somalia 44.49 2021
46 Mauritania 44.05 2021
47 Sudan 42.25 2021
48 Djibouti 39.00 2021
49 Tunisia 37.96 2021
50 Morocco 33.37 2021
51 Algeria 24.32 2021
52 Egypt 22.93 2021

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Development Relevance: Estimates of women in the labor force and employment are generally lower than those of men and are not comparable internationally, reflecting that demographic, social, legal, and cultural trends and norms determine whether women's activities are regarded as economic. In many low-income countries women often work on farms or in other family enterprises without pay, and others work in or near their homes, mixing work and family activities during the day. In many high-income economies, women have been increasingly acquiring higher education that has led to better-compensated, longer-term careers rather than lower-skilled, shorter-term jobs. However, access to good- paying occupations for women remains unequal in many occupations and countries around the world. Labor force statistics by gender is important to monitor gender disparities in employment and unemployment patterns.

Limitations and Exceptions: Data on the labor force are compiled by the ILO from labor force surveys, censuses, and establishment censuses and surveys. For some countries a combination of these sources is used. Labor force surveys are the most comprehensive source for internationally comparable labor force data. They can cover all non-institutionalized civilians, all branches and sectors of the economy, and all categories of workers, including people holding multiple jobs. By contrast, labor force data from population censuses are often based on a limited number of questions on the economic characteristics of individuals, with little scope to probe. The resulting data often differ from labor force survey data and vary considerably by country, depending on the census scope and coverage. Establishment censuses and surveys provide data only on the employed population, not unemployed workers, workers in small establishments, or workers in the informal sector. The reference period of a census or survey is another important source of differences: in some countries data refer to people's status on the day of the census or survey or during a specific period before the inquiry date, while in others data are recorded without reference to any period. In countries, where the household is the basic unit of production and all members contribute to output, but some at low intensity or irregularly, the estimated labor force may be much smaller than the numbers actually working. Differing definitions of employment age also affect comparability. For most countries the working age is 15 and older, but in some countries children younger than 15 work full- or part-time and are included in the estimates. Similarly, some countries have an upper age limit. As a result, calculations may systematically over- or underestimate actual rates.

Statistical Concept and Methodology: The labor force is the supply of labor available for producing goods and services in an economy. It includes people who are currently employed and people who are unemployed but seeking work as well as first-time job-seekers. Not everyone who works is included, however. Unpaid workers, family workers, and students are often omitted, and some countries do not count members of the armed forces. Labor force size tends to vary during the year as seasonal workers enter and leave. The series is part of the ILO estimates and is harmonized to ensure comparability across countries and over time by accounting for differences in data source, scope of coverage, methodology, and other country-specific factors. The estimates are based mainly on nationally representative labor force surveys, with other sources (population censuses and nationally reported estimates) used only when no survey data are available.

Aggregation method: Weighted average

Periodicity: Annual

General Comments: National estimates are also available in the WDI database. Caution should be used when comparing ILO estimates with national estimates.