Ethiopia KILM

Labour force participation rate KILM 1
From table 2 above, it appears that wide disparities in LFPR for men and women were observed in
the Special Enumeration Areas (20.7%), Afar (19.4 %), Harari (18.3 per cent), Addis Ababa (17.1%)
and Tigray (15.9%). On the other hand, smaller variation in economic activity participation between
men and women were noticed in Benishangul-Gumuz (13.6%) and Gambela (9.3%).
Based on the ILO estimates, table 3 below gives worldwide and regional comparison of labour force
participation rates. Accordingly, in 2008 LFPR for the world was 64.1% (76.7% for men and 51.6%
for women), for North Africa 50.6% (73.4% for men and 28.1% for women) and for Sub-Saharan
Africa 70.8% (80.3% for men and 56.5% for women). In this respect, it is interesting to notice that
the LFPR for Ethiopia in 2008 was 86.0% (91.2% for men and 80.9% for women), which was higher
than the world average, North Africa and the Sub-Saharan Africa rates.
Table 3: World and Regional estimates of Labour force Participation Rates
YEAR
WORLD NORTH AFRICA SUB-SAHARAN AFRICA ETHIOPIA
M F M+F M F M+F M F M+F M F M+F
1998 78.6 51.4 64.9 75.1 24.6 49.8 81.6 57.8 70.4 92.2 74.3 83.2
2004 77.3 51.3 64.2 73.7 26.8 50.1 80.7 56.8 70.5 91.9 79.9 85.9
2005 77.1 51.5 64.2 73.5 27.0 50.1 80.6 56.7 70.6 91.9 80.8 86.3
2006 76.9 51.6 64.2 73.2 27.4 50.2 80.4 56.4 70.6 91.7 80.9 86.2
2007 76.8 51.5 64.1 73.4 27.3 50.4 80.4 56.5 70.7 91.4 80.9 86.1
2008 76.7 51.6 64.1 73.4 28.1 50.6 80.3 56.5 70.8 91.2 80.9 86.0
Source: ILO, Key Indicators of Labour Market 2001-2002.
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