Labor force, female (% of total labor force) in South Africa
South Africa: Labor force, female (% of total labor force) was 46.6% in 2025. ▲ Rising
Labor force, female in South Africa, 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 South Africa stood at 46.6%. That is the highest value across all 36 years on record.
That represents a change of up 0.2% on the previous year and up 1.8% over ten years.
Over the whole period, labor force, female in South Africa peaked at 46.6% in 2025 and was at its lowest, 37.8%, in 1990.
That places South Africa 75th out of 187 countries with data for 2025, putting it in the middle of the range.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 36 years of available data.
Labor force, female (% of total labor force) in South Africa, year by year
| Year | % of total labor force | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1990 | 37.8% | — |
| 1991 | 37.9% | +0.3% |
| 1992 | 38.3% | +1.2% |
| 1993 | 37.9% | -1.2% |
| 1994 | 38.4% | +1.3% |
| 1995 | 40.3% | +5.0% |
| 1996 | 41.9% | +3.9% |
| 1997 | 43.0% | +2.8% |
| 1998 | 43.3% | +0.7% |
| 1999 | 43.7% | +0.8% |
| 2000 | 44.1% | +0.9% |
| 2001 | 44.5% | +0.9% |
| 2002 | 44.8% | +0.8% |
| 2003 | 45.1% | +0.7% |
| 2004 | 45.3% | +0.5% |
| 2005 | 45.5% | +0.4% |
| 2006 | 45.6% | +0.3% |
| 2007 | 45.8% | +0.2% |
| 2008 | 45.8% | +0.2% |
| 2009 | 45.7% | -0.4% |
| 2010 | 45.4% | -0.6% |
| 2011 | 45.8% | +0.9% |
| 2012 | 45.6% | -0.4% |
| 2013 | 46.0% | +0.8% |
| 2014 | 45.9% | -0.2% |
| 2015 | 45.8% | -0.2% |
| 2016 | 45.7% | -0.1% |
| 2017 | 46.1% | +0.9% |
| 2018 | 46.1% | -0.1% |
| 2019 | 45.9% | -0.3% |
| 2020 | 45.6% | -0.8% |
| 2021 | 45.4% | -0.3% |
| 2022 | 45.8% | +0.7% |
| 2023 | 46.3% | +1.1% |
| 2024 | 46.5% | +0.5% |
| 2025 | 46.6% | +0.2% |
South Africa compared with similar countries
- South Africa's 46.6% is above the median for upper middle income countries, which is 42.4%, 1.1× the median. (53 countries reporting)
- South Africa's 46.6% is below the median for Sub-Saharan Africa, which is 47.5%, 98% of the median. (47 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1990s | 40.2% | 37.8% | 43.7% | 10 |
| 2000s | 45.2% | 44.1% | 45.8% | 10 |
| 2010s | 45.8% | 45.4% | 46.1% | 10 |
| 2020s | 46.0% | 45.4% | 46.6% | 6 |
Countries ranked near South Africa
More education data for South Africa
- Teachers in secondary education, both sexes (number), gaps filled 181,739 (2023)
- Repeaters in primary education, all grades, both sexes (number), gaps 339,638 (2023)
- Enrolment in pre-primary education, male (number), gaps filled 410,708 (2023)
- Enrolment in pre-primary education, female (number), gaps filled 407,696 (2023)
- Secondary education, pupils, gaps filled 5.50 million (2023)
- Primary education, duration (years), annual growth rate 0 % change on previous year (2025)
- Primary education, pupils, gaps filled 7.52 million (2023)
- Primary education, pupils, annual growth rate -1.44 % change on previous year (2023)
- Primary education, pupils, per unit of GDP 0 units per US$ of GDP (2023)
- Primary education, pupils, per capita 0.119 units per person (2023)
Frequently asked questions
- What is labor force, female in South Africa?
- Labor force, female in South Africa was 46.6% in 2025, according to International Labour Organization (ILO), type: estimates based on external database.
- What is the highest labor force, female recorded in South Africa?
- The highest recorded value was 46.6% in 2025.
- What is the lowest labor force, female recorded in South Africa?
- The lowest recorded value was 37.8% in 1990.
- How does South Africa rank for labor force, female?
- South Africa ranks 75th out of 187 countries with data for 2025.
- Is labor force, female rising or falling in South Africa?
- Over the last ten years it is up 1.8%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this South Africa 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.