Women’s Month in South Africa sheds light on the persistent inequalities women face in the job market.
Women’s Month brings focus to female employment challenges
The most recent Quarterly Labour Force Survey (QLFS) by Statistics South Africa (Stats SA) for the first quarter of 2025 reveals that women are still more likely than men to be discouraged from seeking work.
A discouraged work-seeker is someone who wants to work but has stopped trying to find a job. This usually happens because they believe there are no jobs available for them, or they don’t know where or how to search for one.
According to the QLFS, of the 3.4 million people classified as discouraged work-seekers in South Africa, approximately 2.2 million are women, compared to 1.2 million men .
This means nearly two out of every three people who have stopped looking for work are women.
This pattern is not new. Stats SA has noted in several past reports that women consistently make up the majority of discouraged work-seekers.
It casts a grim spotlight on the difficulties many women face when trying to access the labour market — including lack of affordable childcare, lower levels of formal education, and employer bias.
Female unemployment remains higher than male unemployment
The same report shows that the official unemployment rate for women in Q1:2025 stands at 34.4%, compared to 30.2% for men .
The “official” unemployment rate only includes people who are actively looking for work. It doesn’t include discouraged job-seekers, which means the real unemployment experience for women may be worse than the headline numbers show.
Furthermore, women remain underrepresented in formal employment.
Just 43.9% of working-age women are part of the labour force (either employed or looking for work), compared to 59.5% of men . This indicates that women are less economically active — a major concern for long-term equality.
The purpose of Women’s Month is to recognise both the achievements of women and the struggles they still face.
The QLFS shows that women in South Africa continue to face serious barriers in accessing decent work.
High levels of discouragement suggest that many women feel shut out of the economy, not due to lack of willingness to work, but because they do not see realistic opportunities.
Labour economists argue that tackling this issue requires stronger policy measures, including accessible childcare, transport subsidies, safer working conditions, and targeted job creation for women in underserved areas.
Until then, the gender gap in employment will likely remain a feature of South Africa’s economy.