Own-account workers, female (% of female employment) in Malawi

Malawi: Own-account workers, female (% of female employment) was 57.7% in 2016. ▼ Falling

Latest (2016)
57.7%
Change on year
down 1.6%
World rank
22nd
of 187 countries
All-time high
68.5%
in 1993
All-time low
57.7%
in 2016
Years of data
26
1991–2016

Own-account workers, female (% of female employment) in Malawi, 1991–2016

02040601991200320161991: 65.61992: 661993: 68.51994: 67.41995: 66.71996: 67.51997: 65.91998: 65.61999: 64.52000: 63.22001: 63.42002: 62.42003: 61.52004: 61.92005: 62.22006: 60.92007: 57.92008: 58.32009: 59.12010: 60.32011: 58.92012: 60.42013: 59.42014: 58.62015: 58.62016: 57.7

Source: International Labour Organization, ILOSTAT database. Data retrieved in March 2017.

Analysis

Malawi recorded 57.7% for own-account workers, female (% of female employment) in 2016. That is the lowest value across all 26 years on record.

Compared with earlier readings it is down 1.6% on the previous year and down 5.3% over ten years.

Over the whole period, own-account workers, female (% of female employment) in Malawi peaked at 68.5% in 1993 and was at its lowest, 57.7%, in 2016.

That places Malawi 22nd out of 187 countries with data for 2016, putting it in the top quarter.

The long-run direction has been consistently falling across the 26 years of available data.

Own-account workers, female (% of female employment) in Malawi, year by year

Annual values for Own-account workers, female (% of female employment) (modeled ILO estimate) in Malawi, 1991 to 2016.
Year Value Change
1991 65.6%
1992 66.0% +0.6%
1993 68.5% +3.7%
1994 67.4% -1.6%
1995 66.7% -0.9%
1996 67.5% +1.1%
1997 65.9% -2.3%
1998 65.6% -0.4%
1999 64.5% -1.7%
2000 63.2% -2.1%
2001 63.4% +0.4%
2002 62.4% -1.6%
2003 61.5% -1.4%
2004 61.9% +0.7%
2005 62.2% +0.5%
2006 60.9% -2.2%
2007 57.9% -5.0%
2008 58.3% +0.7%
2009 59.1% +1.5%
2010 60.3% +1.9%
2011 58.9% -2.3%
2012 60.4% +2.5%
2013 59.4% -1.5%
2014 58.6% -1.4%
2015 58.6% -0.0%
2016 57.7% -1.6%

Malawi compared with similar countries

  • Malawi's 57.7% is above the median for low income countries, which is 47.8%, 1.2× the median. (25 countries reporting)
  • Malawi's 57.7% is above the median for Sub-Saharan Africa, which is 47.8%, 1.2× the median. (47 countries reporting)

Averages by decade

DecadeAverage LowestHighest Years
1990s 66.4% 64.5% 68.5% 9
2000s 61.1% 57.9% 63.4% 10
2010s 59.1% 57.7% 60.4% 7

Countries ranked near Malawi

  1. 19 Uganda 60.7% compare
  2. 20 Comoros 58.5% compare
  3. 21 Niger 58.5% compare
  4. 23 India 54.7% compare
  5. 24 Guinea 53.3% compare
  6. 25 Mali 50.7% compare

See the full ranking of 213 places →

More gender data for Malawi

All data for Malawi →

Frequently asked questions

What is own-account workers, female (% of female employment) in Malawi?
Own-account workers, female (% of female employment) in Malawi was 57.7% in 2016, according to International Labour Organization, ILOSTAT database. Data retrieved in March 2017.
What is the highest own-account workers, female (% of female employment) recorded in Malawi?
The highest recorded value was 68.5% in 1993.
What is the lowest own-account workers, female (% of female employment) recorded in Malawi?
The lowest recorded value was 57.7% in 2016.
How does Malawi rank for own-account workers, female (% of female employment)?
Malawi ranks 22nd out of 187 countries with data for 2016.
Is own-account workers, female (% of female employment) rising or falling in Malawi?
Over the last ten years it is down 5.3%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
Where does this Malawi data come from?
The figures come from International Labour Organization, ILOSTAT database. Data retrieved in March 2017, published as part of Own-account workers, female (% of female employment) (modeled ILO estimate). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.

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Own-account workers, female (% of female employment) in Malawi. Statizoid, drawing on International Labour Organization, ILOSTAT database. Data retrieved in March 2017. Retrieved 13 September 2026, from https://gender.statizoid.com/stat/own-account-workers-female-percent-of-female-employment-modeled-ilo-estimate/malawi/

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About this data

Indicator
Own-account workers, female (% of female employment) (modeled ILO estimate)
Source
International Labour Organization, ILOSTAT database. Data retrieved in March 2017
Licence
CC BY 4.0 (World Bank Open Data)
Coverage
213 places, 5,537 data points, 1991–2016
Last refreshed

Own-account workers are workers who, working on their own account or with one or more more partners, hold the types of jobs defined as "self-employment jobs" and have not engaged on a continuous basis any employees to work for them. Own account workers are a subcategory of "self-employed".