South Africa: Female unemployment
* indicates monthly or quarterly data series
| South Africa |
Unemployment rate for females |
|---|---|
| Latest value | 34.00 |
| Year | 2025 |
| Measure | percent |
| Data availability | 1991 - 2025 |
| Average | 28.10 |
| Min - Max | 25.50 - 36.30 |
| Source | The World Bank |
The latest value from 2025 is 34 percent, a decline from 34.44 percent in 2024. In comparison, the world average is 7.96 percent, based on data from 176 countries. Historically, the average for South Africa from 1991 to 2025 is 28.1 percent. The minimum value, 25.5 percent, was reached in 2009 while the maximum of 36.3 percent was recorded in 2021.
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Definition: Unemployment refers to the share of the labor force that is without work but available for and seeking employment.
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| Related indicators | Latest | Reference | Measure |
|---|---|---|---|
| Labor force | 26.73 | 2025 | million people |
| Unemployment rate | 32.39 | 2025 | percent |
| Female unemployment | 34.00 | 2025 | percent |
| Male unemployment | 30.99 | 2025 | percent |
| Youth unemployment | 59.93 | 2025 | percent |
| Labor force participation | 55.58 | 2025 | percent |
| Labor force: percent female | 46.57 | 2025 | percent |
| Female labor force participation | 49.88 | 2025 | percent |
| Male labor force participation | 61.74 | 2025 | percent |
| Self-employment | 16.31 | 2023 | percent |
| Informal employment | 31.50 | 2020 | percent |
| Employment | 16.75 | Q1/2026 | million employed people |
| Unemployment rate | 32.70 | Q1/2026 | percent |
| Labor cost | 163.50 | Q4/2025 | index points |