Labor force, female (% of total labor force) in Sierra Leone
Sierra Leone: Labor force, female (% of total labor force) was 48.8% in 2025. ▼ Falling
Labor force, female in Sierra Leone, 1990–2025
Source: International Labour Organization (ILO), type: estimates based on external database. Measured in % of total labor force.
Analysis
In 2025, labor force, female in Sierra Leone stood at 48.8%.
The figure is down 1.9% over ten years.
Over the whole period, labor force, female in Sierra Leone peaked at 51.8% in 1990 and was at its lowest, 48.2%, in 2018.
Sierra Leone ranks 26th of 187 countries on this measure, in the top quarter.
The long-run direction has been consistently falling across the 36 years of available data.
Labor force, female (% of total labor force) in Sierra Leone, year by year
| Year | % of total labor force | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1990 | 51.8% | — |
| 1991 | 51.8% | -0.1% |
| 1992 | 51.7% | -0.1% |
| 1993 | 51.7% | -0.1% |
| 1994 | 51.6% | -0.1% |
| 1995 | 51.5% | -0.1% |
| 1996 | 51.5% | -0.1% |
| 1997 | 51.4% | -0.1% |
| 1998 | 51.4% | -0.1% |
| 1999 | 51.4% | +0.0% |
| 2000 | 51.4% | -0.0% |
| 2001 | 51.3% | -0.1% |
| 2002 | 51.3% | -0.1% |
| 2003 | 51.2% | -0.1% |
| 2004 | 51.0% | -0.4% |
| 2005 | 50.9% | -0.2% |
| 2006 | 50.8% | -0.2% |
| 2007 | 50.7% | -0.2% |
| 2008 | 50.7% | -0.2% |
| 2009 | 50.6% | -0.2% |
| 2010 | 50.5% | -0.1% |
| 2011 | 50.4% | -0.2% |
| 2012 | 50.3% | -0.2% |
| 2013 | 50.3% | -0.2% |
| 2014 | 50.2% | -0.2% |
| 2015 | 49.7% | -0.9% |
| 2016 | 49.2% | -1.0% |
| 2017 | 48.7% | -1.0% |
| 2018 | 48.2% | -1.0% |
| 2019 | 48.4% | +0.5% |
| 2020 | 48.4% | -0.0% |
| 2021 | 48.5% | +0.1% |
| 2022 | 48.5% | +0.1% |
| 2023 | 48.7% | +0.4% |
| 2024 | 48.8% | +0.1% |
| 2025 | 48.8% | -0.0% |
Sierra Leone compared with similar countries
- Sierra Leone's 48.8% is above the median for low income countries, which is 47.7%, 1.0× the median. (25 countries reporting)
- Sierra Leone's 48.8% 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 | 51.6% | 51.4% | 51.8% | 10 |
| 2000s | 51.0% | 50.6% | 51.4% | 10 |
| 2010s | 49.6% | 48.2% | 50.5% | 10 |
| 2020s | 48.6% | 48.4% | 48.8% | 6 |
Countries ranked near Sierra Leone
More education data for Sierra Leone
- Teachers in secondary education, both sexes (number), gaps filled 38,043 (2024)
- Repeaters in primary education, all grades, both sexes (number), gaps 73,295 (2024)
- Enrolment in pre-primary education, male (number), gaps filled 85,708 (2024)
- Enrolment in pre-primary education, female (number), gaps filled 92,723 (2024)
- Secondary education, pupils, gaps filled 1.16 million (2023)
- Primary education, duration (years), annual growth rate 0 % change on previous year (2025)
- Primary education, pupils, gaps filled 2.07 million (2024)
- Primary education, pupils, annual growth rate 2.52 % change on previous year (2024)
- Primary education, pupils, per unit of GDP 0.0003 units per US$ of GDP (2024)
- Primary education, pupils, per capita 0.2393 units per person (2024)
Frequently asked questions
- What is labor force, female in Sierra Leone?
- Labor force, female in Sierra Leone was 48.8% in 2025, according to International Labour Organization (ILO), type: estimates based on external database.
- What is the highest labor force, female recorded in Sierra Leone?
- The highest recorded value was 51.8% in 1990.
- What is the lowest labor force, female recorded in Sierra Leone?
- The lowest recorded value was 48.2% in 2018.
- How does Sierra Leone rank for labor force, female?
- Sierra Leone ranks 26th out of 187 countries with data for 2025.
- Is labor force, female rising or falling in Sierra Leone?
- Over the last ten years it is down 1.9%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
- Where does this Sierra Leone 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.