Family responsibilities keep 48% of women out of work

Statistics reveal that among women in the working population in Male' city, 51.6 percent hold formal jobs. The majority of those not in such positions are primarily engaged in family responsibilities or household chores.

The Maldives Bureau of Statistics on Tuesday published the results of the Labor Force Survey - Male'. This survey, which involved home visits and interviews in October of last year, presented statistics collected from October-December last year and January-March, the first quarter of this year.

According to the statistics for the first quarter of 2025, the working-age population (over 15 years old) in the capital is 187,390. Of these, 127,696 (68.4 percent) were Maldivians, and 59,694 were foreigners.

Statistics show that 140,255 of the working-age group are employed, while 2,176 are unemployed. The remaining 44,959 were unemployed for various reasons. The survey indicates that this category saw an addition of 1,861 unemployed people in the first quarter of this year.

Of the 44,959 unemployed individuals, 7,622 (17 percent) are willing to work and are categorized as potential labor force. The remaining 37,337 are students, individuals with family responsibilities, those performing household chores, or those who are ailing. This figure also includes people who are not employed for other reasons.

Breaking down the figures outside the labor force, 27,464 were women and 9,873 were men.

Among women who reported being unemployed and not actively seeking a job, 51 percent were occupied with family responsibilities and household chores. Twenty-six percent were students or apprentices, while 14 percent were in long-term care or had a disability. Five percent of these women stated their family engaged in farming or fishing for subsistence, while four percent were of pensionable age.

The largest proportion of men outside the labor force are pursuing education or training, accounting for 53 percent. Additionally, 26 percent have a chronic illness or disability. While 14 percent are of retired or pensionable age, four percent of men remain unemployed to care for family or household. The remaining three percent reported farming or fishing for the family's food production.

The survey found that over half of unemployed women are still primarily responsible for family care, indicating that this role remains largely reserved for women.

Overall, 77.5 percent of the Maldivian working-age population is male, and 51.6 percent is female.

Notably, while the census indicates that women are less likely to be employed, the proportion of women with higher education is greater. The 2022 census shows that more women than men possess degrees and higher education.