Note:
A country’s labor force includes people aged 15+ who are working or actively looking for work in exchange for pay, profit, or shared production. Unpaid workers, family caretakers, students, and military personnel (depending on the country) may be excluded from this count.
Here is a detailed analysis and speculation on the reasons behind these rankings:
Top 10 Countries
- Madagascar (83%)
- Solomon Islands (83%)
- Burundi (79%)
- Mozambique (78%)
- Tanzania (77%)
- Ethiopia (75%)
- Angola (73%)
- Kenya (72%)
- Liberia (72%)
- Moldova (72%)
Possible Reasons:
- Economic Structure: Many of these countries have economies heavily reliant on agriculture and informal sectors, where women play a crucial role.
- Cultural Factors: In some African countries, cultural norms support women’s participation in the labor force, especially in rural and agricultural settings.
- Necessity: High levels of poverty and lack of social safety nets often necessitate the participation of all household members, including women, in economic activities to support their families.
- Informal Economy: A significant portion of women in these countries might be engaged in the informal economy, which is not always captured in formal employment statistics but indicates active participation in economic activities.
- Government Policies: Some of these countries may have supportive policies or initiatives aimed at increasing women’s participation in the labor force.
Bottom 10 Countries
- Afghanistan (5%)
- Yemen (5%)
- Iraq (11%)
- Iran (14%)
- Jordan (14%)
- Syria (14%)
- Egypt (17%)
- Algeria (17%)
- Djibouti (19%)
- Morocco (20%)
Possible Reasons:
- Cultural and Religious Factors: In many of these countries, cultural and religious norms significantly restrict women’s participation in the workforce. Traditional gender roles often prioritize domestic responsibilities for women.
- Security Issues: Countries like Afghanistan, Yemen, Iraq, and Syria face severe security challenges that limit mobility and opportunities for women to engage in the workforce.
- Legal Restrictions: There may be legal and policy barriers that limit women’s employment opportunities, such as restrictions on the types of work women can perform or limitations on working hours.
- Economic Factors: High unemployment rates and economic instability can disproportionately affect women, who may find it harder to enter and remain in the labor force.
- Educational Attainment: Lower levels of educational attainment among women in these countries can limit their access to employment opportunities.
- Political Instability: Political instability and conflict in several of these countries create environments where women’s rights and opportunities are often deprioritized.
Global Context
- The global average labor force participation rate for women is 49%, significantly lower than the 73% rate for men. This disparity reflects broader global issues of gender inequality in access to education, employment opportunities, and cultural norms that influence gender roles.
Data for this graphic is sourced from the World Bank, which aggregates International Labour Organization estimates from 2023.
Full list:
| Rank | Country | Female Labor Force Participation Rate (2023) |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Madagascar | 83% |
| 2 | Solomon Islands | 83% |
| 3 | Burundi | 79% |
| 4 | Mozambique | 78% |
| 5 | Tanzania | 77% |
| 6 | Ethiopia | 75% |
| 7 | Angola | 73% |
| 8 | Liberia | 72% |
| 9 | Kenya | 72% |
| 10 | Moldova | 72% |
| 11 | Eritrea | 71% |
| 12 | South Sudan | 70% |
| 13 | Iceland | 70% |
| 14 | North Korea | 70% |
| 15 | Cambodia | 70% |
| 16 | Viet Nam | 69% |
| 17 | New Zealand | 68% |
| 18 | Uganda | 68% |
| 19 | Azerbaijan | 67% |
| 20 | Cameroon | 67% |
| 21 | Congo | 67% |
| 22 | Peru | 66% |
| 23 | Bahamas | 65% |
| 24 | Ghana | 65% |
| 25 | Bhutan | 65% |
| 26 | Qatar | 64% |
| 27 | Malawi | 64% |
| 28 | Central African Republic | 63% |
| 29 | Sweden | 63% |
| 30 | Kazakhstan | 63% |
| 31 | Macao | 63% |
| 32 | DRC | 63% |
| 33 | St. Lucia | 63% |
| 34 | Niger | 62% |
| 35 | Norway | 62% |
| 36 | Netherlands | 62% |
| 37 | Singapore | 62% |
| 38 | Australia | 62% |
| 39 | Jamaica | 61% |
| 40 | Switzerland | 61% |
| 41 | Canada | 61% |
| 42 | Estonia | 61% |
| 43 | Timor-Leste | 61% |
| 44 | Haiti | 61% |
| 45 | Israel | 61% |
| 46 | Vanuatu | 61% |
| 47 | China | 61% |
| 48 | Zimbabwe | 60% |
| 49 | Cyprus | 60% |
| 50 | Bolivia | 60% |
| 51 | Botswana | 60% |
| 52 | Ireland | 60% |
| 53 | Denmark | 60% |
| 54 | Paraguay | 60% |
| 55 | Belarus | 59% |
| 56 | Thailand | 59% |
| 57 | Barbados | 59% |
| 58 | UK | 58% |
| 59 | Luxembourg | 58% |
| 60 | Finland | 58% |
| 61 | Burkina Faso | 58% |
| 62 | Lesotho | 58% |
| 63 | Lithuania | 57% |
| 64 | Malta | 57% |
| 65 | Austria | 57% |
| 66 | Benin | 57% |
| 67 | Cote d'Ivoire | 57% |
| 68 | U.S. | 57% |
| 69 | Germany | 56% |
| 70 | Gambia | 56% |
| 71 | Guam | 56% |
| 72 | Slovakia | 56% |
| 73 | Togo | 56% |
| 74 | Armenia | 56% |
| 75 | Laos | 56% |
| 76 | South Korea | 56% |
| 77 | Namibia | 56% |
| 78 | Uruguay | 56% |
| 79 | Latvia | 56% |
| 80 | Brunei | 55% |
| 81 | UAE | 55% |
| 82 | Portugal | 55% |
| 83 | Rwanda | 55% |
| 84 | St. Vincent & the Grenadines | 55% |
| 85 | Japan | 55% |
| 86 | Russia | 55% |
| 87 | Georgia | 54% |
| 88 | Hungary | 54% |
| 89 | Slovenia | 54% |
| 90 | Kyrgyz Republic | 54% |
| 91 | Indonesia | 53% |
| 92 | Ecuador | 53% |
| 93 | Brazil | 53% |
| 94 | Albania | 53% |
| 95 | France | 53% |
| 96 | Mongolia | 53% |
| 97 | New Caledonia | 53% |
| 98 | Spain | 53% |
| 99 | South Africa | 52% |
| 100 | Hong Kong | 52% |
| 101 | Nigeria | 52% |
| 102 | Zambia | 52% |
| 103 | Czechia | 52% |
| 104 | Chile | 52% |
| 105 | Dominican Republic | 52% |
| 106 | Equatorial Guinea | 52% |
| 107 | Malaysia | 52% |
| 108 | Mali | 52% |
| 109 | Poland | 52% |
| 110 | Sierra Leone | 52% |
| 111 | Colombia | 51% |
| 112 | Cabo Verde | 51% |
| 113 | Channel Islands | 51% |
| 114 | Serbia | 51% |
| 115 | Argentina | 51% |
| 116 | Belgium | 51% |
| 117 | Panama | 50% |
| 118 | Belize | 50% |
| 119 | Bulgaria | 50% |
| 120 | Honduras | 50% |
| 121 | French Polynesia | 49% |
| 122 | Montenegro | 49% |
| 123 | Nicaragua | 49% |
| 124 | Turkmenistan | 49% |
| 125 | Guinea-Bissau | 49% |
| 126 | Chad | 49% |
| 127 | Croatia | 48% |
| 128 | Kuwait | 48% |
| 129 | Eswatini | 47% |
| 130 | Philippines | 47% |
| 131 | Mexico | 47% |
| 132 | Papua New Guinea | 46% |
| 133 | El Salvador | 46% |
| 134 | Trinidad and Tobago | 46% |
| 135 | Greece | 45% |
| 136 | U.S. Virgin Islands | 45% |
| 137 | Costa Rica | 45% |
| 138 | Suriname | 45% |
| 139 | Bahrain | 44% |
| 140 | Mauritius | 43% |
| 141 | Tonga | 43% |
| 142 | Maldives | 43% |
| 143 | North Macedonia | 43% |
| 144 | Guinea | 42% |
| 145 | Romania | 42% |
| 146 | Cuba | 42% |
| 147 | Myanmar | 42% |
| 148 | Samoa | 41% |
| 149 | Italy | 41% |
| 150 | Guatemala | 41% |
| 151 | Bosnia & Herzegovina | 41% |
| 152 | Gabon | 40% |
| 153 | Uzbekistan | 40% |
| 154 | Guyana | 40% |
| 155 | Venezuela | 39% |
| 156 | Fiji | 39% |
| 157 | Sao Tome & Principe | 38% |
| 158 | Senegal | 38% |
| 159 | Bangladesh | 37% |
| 160 | Türkiye | 35% |
| 161 | Libya | 35% |
| 162 | Saudi Arabia | 35% |
| 163 | Comoros | 33% |
| 164 | India | 33% |
| 165 | Sri Lanka | 32% |
| 166 | Oman | 32% |
| 167 | Puerto Rico | 32% |
| 168 | Tajikistan | 32% |
| 169 | Nepal | 29% |
| 170 | Sudan | 28% |
| 171 | Lebanon | 28% |
| 172 | Tunisia | 27% |
| 173 | Mauritania | 26% |
| 174 | Pakistan | 25% |
| 175 | Somalia | 21% |
| 176 | Morocco | 20% |
| 177 | Djibouti | 19% |
| 178 | Algeria | 17% |
| 179 | Egypt | 17% |
| 180 | Syria | 14% |
| 181 | Jordan | 14% |
| 182 | Iran | 14% |
| 183 | Iraq | 11% |
| 184 | Yemen | 5% |
| 185 | Afghanistan | 5% |
Why weren’t any Scandinavian or Nordic countries in the top 10?
Scandinavian or Nordic countries are known for their high levels of gender equality, progressive social policies, and strong support for women in the workforce.
However, they do not appear in the top 10 list of female labor force participation rates in this image for several reasons:
- High Participation, but Different Metrics: Nordic countries often have high female labor force participation rates, but they may not reach the extreme levels seen in some of the top 10 countries listed, which have participation rates above 70%. For example, the participation rates in Nordic countries are typically around 60-70%, which is very high globally but not as high as the top 10 listed in the image.
- Economic and Social Structure: In many of the top 10 countries, the high participation rate is often driven by necessity, where women must work to support their families, often in informal sectors. In contrast, Nordic countries have robust social safety nets and a higher standard of living, reducing the necessity for every individual to be employed at any cost.
- Different Employment Patterns: The type of employment and work patterns also differ. In many of the top 10 countries, women might be involved in informal, subsistence, or agricultural work, which is often necessary for survival. In Nordic countries, while women participate significantly in the workforce, they are more likely to be engaged in formal employment sectors, which might have different participation metrics.
- Part-time Work and Work-Life Balance: Nordic countries promote work-life balance, and many women (and men) work part-time. This might slightly reduce the overall participation rate compared to countries where economic necessity drives higher full-time participation rates.
- Demographic and Statistical Variations: The demographic composition and statistical methods used to measure labor force participation might vary. The metrics used in the image could be emphasizing raw participation without adjusting for part-time versus full-time work or other nuances.
Participation Rates in Nordic Countries
To provide a more specific context, here are approximate female labor force participation rates for some Nordic countries:
- Iceland: 70%
- Sweden: 63%
- Norway: 62%
- Denmark: 60%
- Finland: 58%
These rates are high but fall short of the top 10 countries in the image, which have participation rates ranging from 72% to 83%.
How much would the world economy grow if the same proportion of women were in the workforce as men?
The potential economic growth from increasing female labor force participation to match male participation levels is significant. While exact figures can vary based on the specific economic context of each country, several studies have provided estimates of the potential global economic impact:
Potential Economic Impact
- McKinsey Global Institute Report (2015)
- McKinsey’s report, “The Power of Parity,” estimated that if women participated in the labor force at the same rate as men, global GDP could increase by $28 trillion by 2025, which would be a 26% increase from the current GDP projections.
- International Monetary Fund (IMF)
- The IMF has suggested that closing the gender gap in labor force participation could boost GDP by an average of 35% in countries with lower participation rates. This boost comes from increased productivity and a larger workforce.
- World Economic Forum (WEF)
- The WEF’s “Global Gender Gap Report” indicates that gender parity in the labor force could add $5.3 trillion to the global economy by 2025. This estimate considers various factors, including increased employment and improved productivity.
Factors Contributing to Economic Growth
- Increased Labor Supply
- More women in the workforce increases the total labor supply, leading to higher overall productivity and economic output.
- Diverse Perspectives and Innovation
- Gender-diverse teams can drive innovation and better decision-making, leading to improved business performance and economic growth.
- Enhanced Human Capital Utilization
- Maximizing the potential of all individuals, regardless of gender, leads to better utilization of human capital and a more efficient economy.
- Improved Family and Community Outcomes
- Women’s economic participation can lead to better health, education, and economic outcomes for families and communities, creating a positive feedback loop that further stimulates economic growth.
Barriers to Achieving Gender Parity
While the potential economic benefits are substantial, achieving gender parity in the workforce faces several barriers:
- Cultural and Social Norms: Traditional gender roles and societal expectations can limit women’s participation in the workforce.
- Legal and Regulatory Barriers: In some countries, laws and regulations restrict women’s employment opportunities and their ability to work in certain sectors.
- Access to Education and Training: Ensuring women have equal access to education and vocational training is crucial for their participation in the workforce.
- Workplace Policies and Practices: Implementing family-friendly workplace policies, such as maternity leave and childcare support, can help increase women’s workforce participation.
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