Iraqi women's workforce participation drops to 14%, below global average, rights group warns
Shafaq News/ Women's representation in Iraq's labor market has fallen to just 14%, lower than the global average of 20%, according to the Strategic Center for Human Rights in Iraq. This decline comes as nearly 11% of Iraqi households are now led by women.
Fadel Al-Gharawi, head of the center, cited International Labor Organization (ILO) statistics revealing that out of 13 million Iraqi women of working age, only one million are employed. "A significant 70% of these women work in the public sector, with fewer than 300,000 women engaged in private sector employment."
"This is a concerning indicator that requires immediate attention to understand why women are hesitant to enter the private labor market," Al-Gharawi told Shafaq News Agency.
He referenced a World Bank report that also categorized Iraqi women's labor market participation as low, with figures showing women make up less than 15% of the workforce.
According to Iraq's Ministry of Planning, the public sector remains the most attractive for women, with 78% of female workers employed there, compared to only 21% in the private sector. The report also noted that most women working in the private sector are from rural areas.
Al-Gharawi highlighted the primary violations against women in the private sector, including low wages, extended working hours, hazardous job conditions—especially in factories—and instances of workplace harassment, calling on the government "to launch a national policy aimed at increasing women's employment and ensuring their protection and equality in the labor market."
