Labor force, female (% of total labor force) in Benin
Benin: Labor force, female (% of total labor force) was 49.4% in 2025. ▲ Rising
Labor force, female in Benin, 1990–2025
Source: International Labour Organization (ILO), type: estimates based on external database. Measured in % of total labor force.
Analysis
The most recent figure for labor force, female in Benin is 49.4%, measured in 2025.
The figure is up 0.1% on the previous year and down 0.3% over ten years.
Over the whole period, labor force, female in Benin peaked at 49.9% in 2019 and was at its lowest, 41.3%, in 1992.
Benin ranks 17th of 187 countries on this measure, in the top 10%.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 36 years of available data.
Labor force, female (% of total labor force) in Benin, year by year
| Year | % of total labor force | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1990 | 41.5% | — |
| 1991 | 41.4% | -0.1% |
| 1992 | 41.3% | -0.1% |
| 1993 | 41.8% | +1.1% |
| 1994 | 42.3% | +1.2% |
| 1995 | 42.9% | +1.3% |
| 1996 | 43.4% | +1.3% |
| 1997 | 43.9% | +1.2% |
| 1998 | 44.5% | +1.3% |
| 1999 | 45.1% | +1.3% |
| 2000 | 45.7% | +1.3% |
| 2001 | 46.3% | +1.3% |
| 2002 | 46.9% | +1.4% |
| 2003 | 47.2% | +0.5% |
| 2004 | 47.4% | +0.5% |
| 2005 | 47.7% | +0.6% |
| 2006 | 48.0% | +0.6% |
| 2007 | 48.3% | +0.5% |
| 2008 | 48.5% | +0.5% |
| 2009 | 48.8% | +0.5% |
| 2010 | 49.0% | +0.5% |
| 2011 | 49.3% | +0.5% |
| 2012 | 49.4% | +0.2% |
| 2013 | 49.4% | +0.1% |
| 2014 | 49.5% | +0.1% |
| 2015 | 49.6% | +0.1% |
| 2016 | 49.7% | +0.1% |
| 2017 | 49.7% | +0.2% |
| 2018 | 49.8% | +0.2% |
| 2019 | 49.9% | +0.2% |
| 2020 | 49.6% | -0.7% |
| 2021 | 49.4% | -0.2% |
| 2022 | 49.2% | -0.5% |
| 2023 | 49.3% | +0.2% |
| 2024 | 49.4% | +0.2% |
| 2025 | 49.4% | +0.1% |
Benin compared with similar countries
- Benin's 49.4% is above the median for lower middle income countries, which is 43.6%, 1.1× the median. (46 countries reporting)
- Benin's 49.4% is above the median for Sub-Saharan Africa, which is 47.5%, 1.0× the median. (47 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1990s | 42.8% | 41.3% | 45.1% | 10 |
| 2000s | 47.5% | 45.7% | 48.8% | 10 |
| 2010s | 49.5% | 49.0% | 49.9% | 10 |
| 2020s | 49.4% | 49.2% | 49.6% | 6 |
Countries ranked near Benin
More education data for Benin
- Teachers in secondary education, both sexes (number), gaps filled 57,296 (2022)
- Repeaters in primary education, all grades, both sexes (number), gaps 209,295 (2022)
- Enrolment in pre-primary education, male (number), gaps filled 85,495 (2022)
- Enrolment in pre-primary education, female (number), gaps filled 84,746 (2022)
- Secondary education, pupils, gaps filled 929,099 (2022)
- Primary education, duration (years), annual growth rate 0 % change on previous year (2025)
- Primary education, pupils, gaps filled 2.40 million (2022)
- Primary education, pupils, annual growth rate 5.18 % change on previous year (2022)
- Primary education, pupils, per unit of GDP 0.0001 units per US$ of GDP (2022)
- Primary education, pupils, per capita 0.1743 units per person (2022)
Frequently asked questions
- What is labor force, female in Benin?
- Labor force, female in Benin was 49.4% in 2025, according to International Labour Organization (ILO), type: estimates based on external database.
- What is the highest labor force, female recorded in Benin?
- The highest recorded value was 49.9% in 2019.
- What is the lowest labor force, female recorded in Benin?
- The lowest recorded value was 41.3% in 1992.
- How does Benin rank for labor force, female?
- Benin ranks 17th out of 187 countries with data for 2025.
- Is labor force, female rising or falling in Benin?
- Over the last ten years it is down 0.3%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this Benin data come from?
- The figures come from International Labour Organization (ILO), type: estimates based on external database, published as part of Labor force, female (% of total labor force). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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About this data
Female labor force as a percentage of the total show the extent to which women are active in the labor force. Labor force comprises people ages 15 and older who supply labor for the production of goods and services during a specified period.