Share of senior and middle management positions filled by women in South Africa
South Africa: Share of senior and middle management positions filled by women was 39.3% in 2024. ▲ Rising
Share of senior and middle management positions filled by women in South Africa, 2000–2024
Source: International Labour Organization – with minor processing by Our World in Data. Measured in %.
Analysis
The most recent figure for share of senior and middle management positions filled by women in South Africa is 39.3%, measured in 2024. That is the highest value across all 25 years on record.
That represents a change of up 9.0% on the previous year and up 14.5% over ten years.
Over the whole period, share of senior and middle management positions filled by women in South Africa peaked at 39.3% in 2024 and was at its lowest, 22.5%, in 2001.
South Africa ranks 29th of 96 countries on this measure, in the middle of the range.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 25 years of available data.
Share of senior and middle management positions filled by women in South Africa, year by year
| Year | % | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 2000 | 22.6% | — |
| 2001 | 22.5% | -0.4% |
| 2002 | 25.6% | +13.6% |
| 2003 | 27.6% | +8.1% |
| 2004 | 26.8% | -3.0% |
| 2005 | 30.5% | +13.6% |
| 2006 | 31.4% | +3.0% |
| 2007 | 32.0% | +1.9% |
| 2008 | 31.5% | -1.7% |
| 2009 | 33.2% | +5.6% |
| 2010 | 32.0% | -3.6% |
| 2011 | 33.6% | +5.0% |
| 2012 | 34.8% | +3.3% |
| 2013 | 33.1% | -4.7% |
| 2014 | 34.3% | +3.5% |
| 2015 | 33.9% | -1.2% |
| 2016 | 35.7% | +5.4% |
| 2017 | 35.2% | -1.4% |
| 2018 | 33.9% | -3.7% |
| 2019 | 33.3% | -2.0% |
| 2020 | 35.1% | +5.4% |
| 2021 | 35.2% | +0.3% |
| 2022 | 36.5% | +3.8% |
| 2023 | 36.0% | -1.4% |
| 2024 | 39.3% | +9.0% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000s | 28.4% | 22.5% | 33.2% | 10 |
| 2010s | 34.0% | 32.0% | 35.7% | 10 |
| 2020s | 36.4% | 35.1% | 39.3% | 5 |
Countries ranked near South Africa
More gender data for South Africa
- Child population (UN estimates and projections) 17,151 (2030)
- Child population (UN estimates and projections) (0-14), annual growth 0.6591 % change on previous year (2030)
- Population 51,011 (2030)
- Working-age population (UN estimates and projections) 51,011 (2030)
- Population (UN estimates and projections), annual growth rate 1.07 % change on previous year (2030)
- Age population, age 00, female, interpolated 570,099 (2025)
- Age population, age 00, male, interpolated 589,533 (2025)
- Age population, age 01, female, interpolated 570,599 (2025)
- Age population, age 01, male, interpolated 589,626 (2025)
- Age population, age 02, female, interpolated 569,634 (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is share of senior and middle management positions filled by women in South Africa?
- Share of senior and middle management positions filled by women in South Africa was 39.3% in 2024, according to International Labour Organization – with minor processing by Our World in Data.
- What is the highest share of senior and middle management positions filled by women recorded in South Africa?
- The highest recorded value was 39.3% in 2024.
- What is the lowest share of senior and middle management positions filled by women recorded in South Africa?
- The lowest recorded value was 22.5% in 2001.
- How does South Africa rank for share of senior and middle management positions filled by women?
- South Africa ranks 29th out of 96 countries with data for 2024.
- Is share of senior and middle management positions filled by women rising or falling in South Africa?
- Over the last ten years it is up 14.5%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this South Africa data come from?
- The figures come from International Labour Organization – with minor processing by Our World in Data, published as part of Share of senior and middle management positions filled by women. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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About this data
Proportion of women in senior and middle management positions - 13th ICLS (%).