Labor force, female (% of total labor force) in Zimbabwe
Zimbabwe: Labor force, female (% of total labor force) was 49.6% in 2025. ▲ Rising
Labor force, female in Zimbabwe, 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 Zimbabwe stood at 49.6%.
The figure is down 0.1% on the previous year and down 1.1% over ten years.
Over the whole period, labor force, female in Zimbabwe peaked at 50.7% in 2005 and was at its lowest, 46.4%, in 1990.
Zimbabwe ranks 14th 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 Zimbabwe, year by year
| Year | % of total labor force | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1990 | 46.4% | — |
| 1991 | 46.6% | +0.6% |
| 1992 | 46.8% | +0.3% |
| 1993 | 47.1% | +0.7% |
| 1994 | 47.7% | +1.4% |
| 1995 | 48.3% | +1.2% |
| 1996 | 48.8% | +1.0% |
| 1997 | 49.2% | +0.9% |
| 1998 | 49.6% | +0.7% |
| 1999 | 49.9% | +0.7% |
| 2000 | 50.2% | +0.7% |
| 2001 | 50.5% | +0.6% |
| 2002 | 50.7% | +0.2% |
| 2003 | 50.7% | -0.0% |
| 2004 | 50.7% | +0.0% |
| 2005 | 50.7% | +0.0% |
| 2006 | 50.6% | -0.1% |
| 2007 | 50.6% | -0.1% |
| 2008 | 50.5% | -0.1% |
| 2009 | 50.4% | -0.2% |
| 2010 | 50.3% | -0.2% |
| 2011 | 50.2% | -0.2% |
| 2012 | 50.2% | +0.0% |
| 2013 | 50.2% | -0.0% |
| 2014 | 50.2% | -0.1% |
| 2015 | 50.2% | +0.0% |
| 2016 | 50.2% | +0.1% |
| 2017 | 50.3% | +0.1% |
| 2018 | 50.4% | +0.1% |
| 2019 | 50.4% | +0.2% |
| 2020 | 50.2% | -0.6% |
| 2021 | 50.1% | -0.1% |
| 2022 | 49.9% | -0.5% |
| 2023 | 49.8% | -0.1% |
| 2024 | 49.7% | -0.2% |
| 2025 | 49.6% | -0.1% |
Zimbabwe compared with similar countries
- Zimbabwe's 49.6% is above the median for lower middle income countries, which is 43.6%, 1.1× the median. (46 countries reporting)
- Zimbabwe's 49.6% 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 | 48.0% | 46.4% | 49.9% | 10 |
| 2000s | 50.6% | 50.2% | 50.7% | 10 |
| 2010s | 50.3% | 50.2% | 50.4% | 10 |
| 2020s | 49.9% | 49.6% | 50.2% | 6 |
Countries ranked near Zimbabwe
More education data for Zimbabwe
- Teachers in secondary education, both sexes (number), gaps filled 42,585 (2013)
- Repeaters in primary education, all grades, both sexes (number), gaps 12,514 (2024)
- Enrolment in pre-primary education, male (number), gaps filled 328,055 (2024)
- Enrolment in pre-primary education, female (number), gaps filled 322,698 (2024)
- Secondary education, pupils, gaps filled 957,461 (2013)
- Primary education, duration (years), annual growth rate 0 % change on previous year (2025)
- Primary education, pupils, gaps filled 2.94 million (2024)
- Primary education, pupils, annual growth rate -0.4866 % change on previous year (2024)
- Primary education, pupils, per unit of GDP 0.0001 units per US$ of GDP (2024)
- Primary education, pupils, per capita 0.1767 units per person (2024)
Frequently asked questions
- What is labor force, female in Zimbabwe?
- Labor force, female in Zimbabwe was 49.6% in 2025, according to International Labour Organization (ILO), type: estimates based on external database.
- What is the highest labor force, female recorded in Zimbabwe?
- The highest recorded value was 50.7% in 2005.
- What is the lowest labor force, female recorded in Zimbabwe?
- The lowest recorded value was 46.4% in 1990.
- How does Zimbabwe rank for labor force, female?
- Zimbabwe ranks 14th out of 187 countries with data for 2025.
- Is labor force, female rising or falling in Zimbabwe?
- Over the last ten years it is down 1.1%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this Zimbabwe 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.