Female workforce participation across the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) countries rose to 39.3 percent in 2025, driven by ongoing economic diversification efforts and labor market reforms in the region. According to data from the Statistical Center for the Cooperation Council for the Arab Countries of the Gulf, the number of employed women in the GCC reached 7.3 million in 2025, up from 5.7 million in 2020. Women now account for 40.5 percent of all employed nationals in the member states.

These gains reflect policy measures aimed at expanding private-sector opportunities for women, particularly in Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates, as the region seeks to reduce reliance on oil revenues. The report noted a particular increase in female employment within the tourism sector, where women made up 13.2 percent of the workforce in 2024. Female employment in this sector grew at an average annual rate of 9.45 percent between 2019 and 2024, underscoring women’s expanding participation in one of the region’s fastest-growing industries.

Despite these advances, the female unemployment rate remained at 10.5 percent in 2025. However, indicators point to substantial improvement since 2020, including an 8 percent increase in female labor force participation, a 26.1 percent decrease in female unemployment, and an 11 percent rise in the share of employed national women.

In terms of sectoral distribution, women’s representation in the public sector increased slightly to 34.8 percent in 2025, compared to 33.3 percent five years earlier. Private-sector participation also saw growth, rising from 4.3 percent to 5.3 percent, highlighting a gradual integration of women into nongovernmental employment.

Participation rates vary across the GCC. By 2023, female labor force participation exceeded 60 percent in Qatar and 40 percent in Oman. Saudi Arabia recorded participation levels in the mid-30 percent range, accompanied by a notable decline in female unemployment, which dropped from 17.6 percent in 2021 to 11.2 percent in 2024.

The Statistical Center emphasized that women’s growing role in the workforce is bolstered by a youthful demographic profile and increased engagement across various sectors. Women hold significant shares in health care, education, and tourism, with 74.76 percent of nursing staff, 61.8 percent of general education teachers, and 41.2 percent of higher education professionals being female. The region’s female population reached approximately 22.9 million in 2024, reflecting a 15.8 percent rise since 2019.

These trends illustrate a sustained push toward greater female economic participation as a cornerstone of GCC countries’ long-term development and diversification strategies.