SDG indicator 1.1.1: Working poverty rate in Southern Africa
Southern Africa: SDG indicator 1.1.1: Working poverty rate was 15.28 in 2025. ▼ Falling
SDG indicator 1.1.1: Working poverty rate in Southern Africa, 2000–2025
Source: International Labour Organization.
Analysis
Southern Africa recorded 15.28 for sdg indicator 1.1.1: working poverty rate in 2025.
Compared with earlier readings it is up 0.1% on the previous year and down 0.6% over ten years.
Over the whole period, sdg indicator 1.1.1: working poverty rate in Southern Africa peaked at 29.48 in 2001 and was at its lowest, 14.99, in 2018.
That places Southern Africa 15th out of 76 groups with data for 2025, putting it in the top quarter.
The long-run direction has been consistently falling across the 26 years of available data.
SDG indicator 1.1.1: Working poverty rate in Southern Africa, year by year
| Year | Value | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 2000 | 29.09 | — |
| 2001 | 29.48 | +1.3% |
| 2002 | 29.23 | -0.8% |
| 2003 | 29.32 | +0.3% |
| 2004 | 27.46 | -6.3% |
| 2005 | 25.44 | -7.4% |
| 2006 | 18.46 | -27.4% |
| 2007 | 17.73 | -4.0% |
| 2008 | 16.46 | -7.1% |
| 2009 | 16.26 | -1.2% |
| 2010 | 15.75 | -3.1% |
| 2011 | 15.43 | -2.0% |
| 2012 | 15.05 | -2.4% |
| 2013 | 15.05 | +0.0% |
| 2014 | 15.49 | +2.9% |
| 2015 | 15.37 | -0.7% |
| 2016 | 15.22 | -1.0% |
| 2017 | 15.11 | -0.7% |
| 2018 | 14.99 | -0.8% |
| 2019 | 15.05 | +0.4% |
| 2020 | 16.07 | +6.8% |
| 2021 | 15.51 | -3.5% |
| 2022 | 15.31 | -1.3% |
| 2023 | 15.27 | -0.3% |
| 2024 | 15.27 | +0.0% |
| 2025 | 15.28 | +0.1% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000s | 23.89 | 16.26 | 29.48 | 10 |
| 2010s | 15.25 | 14.99 | 15.75 | 10 |
| 2020s | 15.45 | 15.27 | 16.07 | 6 |
Countries ranked near Southern Africa
- 12 Congo 49.23 compare
- 13 Tanzania, United Republic of 44.72 compare
- 14 Solomon Islands 43.33 compare
- 15 Haiti 43.09 compare
- 16 Timor-Leste 42.93 compare
- 17 Rwanda 42.3 compare
- 18 Zimbabwe 41.94 compare
More gender data for Southern Africa
- Child population (UN estimates and projections) 20,374 (2030)
- Child population (UN estimates and projections) (0-14), annual growth 0.5706 % change on previous year (2030)
- Population 57,758 (2030)
- Working-age population (UN estimates and projections) 57,758 (2030)
- Population (UN estimates and projections), annual growth rate 1.19 % change on previous year (2030)
- Inactivity rate (ILO modelled estimates) 43.89 (2027)
- SDG indicator 5.5.2: Proportion of women in managerial positions 36.91 (2025)
- Number of seats held by women in national parliaments 274 (2026)
- Proportion of seats held by women in national parliaments 35.8% (2026)
- Proportion of women aged 15-49 years with anaemia 31.0% (2023)
Frequently asked questions
- What is sdg indicator 1.1.1: working poverty rate in Southern Africa?
- Sdg indicator 1.1.1: working poverty rate in Southern Africa was 15.28 in 2025, according to International Labour Organization.
- What is the highest sdg indicator 1.1.1: working poverty rate recorded in Southern Africa?
- The highest recorded value was 29.48 in 2001.
- What is the lowest sdg indicator 1.1.1: working poverty rate recorded in Southern Africa?
- The lowest recorded value was 14.99 in 2018.
- How does Southern Africa rank for sdg indicator 1.1.1: working poverty rate?
- Southern Africa ranks 15th out of 76 groups with data for 2025.
- Is sdg indicator 1.1.1: working poverty rate rising or falling in Southern Africa?
- Over the last ten years it is down 0.6%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
- Where does this Southern Africa data come from?
- The figures come from International Labour Organization, published as part of SDG indicator 1.1.1: Working poverty rate (15+). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
CSV · JSON — 26 observations, free to reuse under ILO Terms of Use (attribution required).
About this data
The series is part of the ILO modelled estimates and is harmonized to account for differences in national data and scope of coverage, collection and tabulation methodologies as well as for other country-specific factors. The working poverty rate conveys the percentage of employed persons living in poverty in spite of being employed. Poverty is defined using the international poverty line of US$3 per day in purchasing power parity (PPP). For more information, refer to the Labour Market-related SDG Indicators (ILOSDG) database description.