Own-account workers, female (% of female employment) in Sub-Saharan Africa (excluding high income)
Sub-Saharan Africa (excluding high income): Own-account workers, female (% of female employment) was 46.6% in 2016. ▼ Falling
Own-account workers, female (% of female employment) in Sub-Saharan Africa (excluding high income), 1991–2016
Source: International Labour Organization, ILOSTAT database. Data retrieved in March 2017.
Analysis
Sub-Saharan Africa (excluding high income) recorded 46.6% for own-account workers, female (% of female employment) in 2016.
Compared with earlier readings it is down 1.3% on the previous year and down 8.0% over ten years.
Over the whole period, own-account workers, female (% of female employment) in Sub-Saharan Africa (excluding high income) peaked at 55.2% in 1991 and was at its lowest, 46.6%, in 2014.
Sub-Saharan Africa (excluding high income) ranks 2nd of 25 groups on this measure, in the top 10%.
The long-run direction has been consistently falling across the 26 years of available data.
Own-account workers, female (% of female employment) in Sub-Saharan Africa (excluding high income), year by year
| Year | Value | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1991 | 55.2% | — |
| 1992 | 54.5% | -1.3% |
| 1993 | 54.9% | +0.9% |
| 1994 | 52.8% | -3.9% |
| 1995 | 54.5% | +3.2% |
| 1996 | 54.4% | -0.2% |
| 1997 | 54.7% | +0.5% |
| 1998 | 54.9% | +0.4% |
| 1999 | 52.4% | -4.6% |
| 2000 | 49.7% | -5.0% |
| 2001 | 50.7% | +1.9% |
| 2002 | 50.9% | +0.4% |
| 2003 | 50.8% | -0.1% |
| 2004 | 50.4% | -0.8% |
| 2005 | 51.6% | +2.4% |
| 2006 | 50.7% | -1.8% |
| 2007 | 47.8% | -5.7% |
| 2008 | 49.0% | +2.4% |
| 2009 | 49.7% | +1.5% |
| 2010 | 49.3% | -0.9% |
| 2011 | 47.7% | -3.3% |
| 2012 | 47.9% | +0.5% |
| 2013 | 47.2% | -1.4% |
| 2014 | 46.6% | -1.3% |
| 2015 | 47.3% | +1.4% |
| 2016 | 46.6% | -1.3% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1990s | 54.2% | 52.4% | 55.2% | 9 |
| 2000s | 50.1% | 47.8% | 51.6% | 10 |
| 2010s | 47.5% | 46.6% | 49.3% | 7 |
Countries ranked near Sub-Saharan Africa (excluding high income)
More gender data for Sub-Saharan Africa (excluding high income)
- Labor force, female 247.09 million (2025)
- Labor force, female, per capita 0.187 units per person (2025)
- Labor force, female, per unit of GDP 0.0001 units per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Labor force, female, annual growth rate 2.97 % change on previous year (2025)
- Labor force, female, per square kilometre 9.83 units per square kilometre (2023)
- Incidence of HIV, ages 15-49, female 1.12 per 1,000 uninfected female population ages 15-49 (2024)
- Incidence of HIV, ages 15-49, male 0.5884 per 1,000 uninfected male population ages 15-49 (2024)
- Incidence of HIV, ages 15-24, female 1.38 per 1,000 uninfected female population ages 15-24 (2024)
- Incidence of HIV, ages 15-24, male 0.4268 per 1,000 uninfected male population ages 15-24 (2024)
- Ratio of female to male youth unemployment rate (% ages 15-24) 127.7% (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is own-account workers, female (% of female employment) in Sub-Saharan Africa (excluding high income)?
- Own-account workers, female (% of female employment) in Sub-Saharan Africa (excluding high income) was 46.6% 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 Sub-Saharan Africa (excluding high income)?
- The highest recorded value was 55.2% in 1991.
- What is the lowest own-account workers, female (% of female employment) recorded in Sub-Saharan Africa (excluding high income)?
- The lowest recorded value was 46.6% in 2014.
- How does Sub-Saharan Africa (excluding high income) rank for own-account workers, female (% of female employment)?
- Sub-Saharan Africa (excluding high income) ranks 2nd out of 25 groups with data for 2016.
- Is own-account workers, female (% of female employment) rising or falling in Sub-Saharan Africa (excluding high income)?
- Over the last ten years it is down 8.0%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
- Where does this Sub-Saharan Africa (excluding high income) 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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About this data
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".