The Statistical Center for the Cooperation Council for the Arab States of the Gulf (GCC-Stat) said Wednesday that Gulf women continue to strengthen their role in development across GCC states, supported by a young population base and rising participation in the labor market.
The center said in a report that indicators highlight women’s pivotal role, particularly in health, education and tourism sectors, reflecting steady progress in empowerment paths and sustainable development across GCC countries.
It noted that the number of females in GCC states grew by 15.8 percent during 2019-2024, reaching about 22.9 million in 2024, with an average annual increase of around 625,600 females.
Females aged 15-39 totaled about 13.8 million, representing 60.3 percent of all females, while those aged 15-64 reached 15.9 million, accounting for 69.5 percent of the total female population.
Regarding labor market participation, the center said the number of employed women rose from 5.7 million in 2020 to 7.3 million in 2025, while the number of employed female nationals increased from 1.7 million to 2.2 million over the same period.
Female labor force participation in GCC countries reached 39.3 percent in 2025, while the female unemployment rate stood at 10.5 percent, and female nationals accounted for 40.5 percent of total employed nationals.
The center added that women’s participation indicators improved during 2020-2025, with female labor force participation rising by eight percent, female unemployment declining by 26.1 percent, and the share of employed female nationals increasing by 11 percent.
It noted that the share of women employed in the government sector rose from 33.3 percent to) 34.8 percent, while in the private sector it increased from 4.3 percent to 5.3 percent over the same period.
In health and education, Gulf women maintained a strong presence, making up about 73.6 percent of nursing staff, 63.8 percent of general education teachers, and 41.2 percent of higher education personnel.
In tourism, women accounted for about 13.2 percent of the sector’s workforce in 2024, with an average annual growth rate of 9.5 percent in female employment during 2019-2024, reflecting their growing contribution to a promising economic sector.
The GCC-Stat, headquartered in Oman, was established as the official authority for data, information and statistics related to GCC states, in addition to strengthening statistical and information work across national statistics centers and planning agencies.
— KUNA
