Unemployment, female (% of female labor force) in Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan
Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan: Unemployment, female (% of female labor force) was 12.1% in 2025. ▲ Rising
Unemployment, female (% of female labor force) in Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan, 1991–2025
Source: ILO Modelled Estimates database (ILOEST), International Labour Organization (ILO).
Analysis
Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan recorded 12.1% for unemployment, female (% of female labor force) in 2025.
Compared with earlier readings it is down 1.8% on the previous year and down 15.1% over ten years.
Over the whole period, unemployment, female (% of female labor force) in Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan peaked at 14.2% in 2015 and was at its lowest, 10.8%, in 2008.
Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan ranks 4th of 47 groups on this measure, in the top 10%.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 35 years of available data.
Unemployment, female (% of female labor force) in Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan, year by year
| Year | Value | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1991 | 12.6% | — |
| 1992 | 11.6% | -7.8% |
| 1993 | 12.4% | +6.9% |
| 1994 | 12.6% | +1.1% |
| 1995 | 13.1% | +4.5% |
| 1996 | 11.3% | -14.3% |
| 1997 | 11.4% | +1.2% |
| 1998 | 11.5% | +0.6% |
| 1999 | 11.7% | +2.2% |
| 2000 | 12.7% | +8.8% |
| 2001 | 12.9% | +1.3% |
| 2002 | 13.3% | +3.3% |
| 2003 | 12.8% | -3.9% |
| 2004 | 12.5% | -2.6% |
| 2005 | 12.3% | -1.3% |
| 2006 | 11.7% | -4.9% |
| 2007 | 10.9% | -7.0% |
| 2008 | 10.8% | -1.2% |
| 2009 | 11.4% | +5.7% |
| 2010 | 11.7% | +2.9% |
| 2011 | 11.9% | +1.6% |
| 2012 | 13.1% | +10.6% |
| 2013 | 13.0% | -0.9% |
| 2014 | 12.6% | -3.0% |
| 2015 | 14.2% | +12.6% |
| 2016 | 13.4% | -5.5% |
| 2017 | 14.0% | +3.9% |
| 2018 | 13.7% | -2.1% |
| 2019 | 13.9% | +1.2% |
| 2020 | 13.8% | -0.0% |
| 2021 | 14.0% | +1.0% |
| 2022 | 12.8% | -8.6% |
| 2023 | 12.2% | -4.9% |
| 2024 | 12.3% | +1.1% |
| 2025 | 12.1% | -1.8% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1990s | 12.0% | 11.3% | 13.1% | 9 |
| 2000s | 12.1% | 10.8% | 13.3% | 10 |
| 2010s | 13.2% | 11.7% | 14.2% | 10 |
| 2020s | 12.9% | 12.1% | 14.0% | 6 |
Countries ranked near Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan
More education data for Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan
- Primary education, pupils, annual growth rate 1.65 % change on previous year (2024)
- Primary education, teachers, gaps filled 3.29 million (2024)
- Primary education, pupils, per capita 0.113 units per person (2024)
- Population ages 0-14 31.7% (2025)
- Population ages 15-64 63.1% (2025)
- Secondary education, duration (years), annual growth rate 0 % change on previous year (2025)
- Primary education, pupils, per unit of GDP 0 units per US$ of GDP (2024)
- Secondary education, pupils, gaps filled 68.09 million (2024)
- Primary education, pupils, gaps filled 91.90 million (2024)
- Primary education, duration (years), annual growth rate 0 % change on previous year (2025)
All data for Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan →
Frequently asked questions
- What is unemployment, female (% of female labor force) in Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan?
- Unemployment, female (% of female labor force) in Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan was 12.1% in 2025, according to ILO Modelled Estimates database (ILOEST), International Labour Organization (ILO).
- What is the highest unemployment, female (% of female labor force) recorded in Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan?
- The highest recorded value was 14.2% in 2015.
- What is the lowest unemployment, female (% of female labor force) recorded in Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan?
- The lowest recorded value was 10.8% in 2008.
- How does Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan rank for unemployment, female (% of female labor force)?
- Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan ranks 4th out of 47 groups with data for 2025.
- Is unemployment, female (% of female labor force) rising or falling in Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan?
- Over the last ten years it is down 15.1%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan data come from?
- The figures come from ILO Modelled Estimates database (ILOEST), International Labour Organization (ILO), published as part of Unemployment, female (% of female labor force) (modeled ILO estimate). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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About this data
Unemployment refers to the share of the labor force that is without work but available for and seeking employment.