𝐖𝐨𝐦𝐞𝐧’𝐬 𝐋𝐚𝐛𝐨𝐮𝐫 𝐅𝐨𝐫𝐜𝐞 𝐏𝐚𝐫𝐭𝐢𝐜𝐢𝐩𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧 𝐋𝐚𝐠𝐬 𝐃𝐞𝐬𝐩𝐢𝐭𝐞 𝐇𝐢𝐠𝐡 𝐄𝐦𝐩𝐥𝐨𝐲𝐦𝐞𝐧𝐭 𝐑𝐚𝐭𝐞

…𝒘𝒐𝒎𝒆𝒏 𝒄𝒐𝒏𝒕𝒊𝒏𝒖𝒆 𝒕𝒐 𝒇𝒂𝒄𝒆 𝒄𝒖𝒍𝒕𝒖𝒓𝒂𝒍, 𝒔𝒕𝒓𝒖𝒄𝒕𝒖𝒓𝒂𝒍, 𝒂𝒏𝒅 𝒔𝒐𝒄𝒊𝒂𝒍 𝒃𝒂𝒓𝒓𝒊𝒆𝒓𝒔 𝒕𝒐 𝒇𝒖𝒍𝒍 𝒆𝒄𝒐𝒏𝒐𝒎𝒊𝒄 𝒊𝒏𝒄𝒍𝒖𝒔𝒊𝒐𝒏

By Kinzang Lhamo

Women’s participation in the labour force remains strikingly low at 55.8 percent compared with 74.2 percent among men, according to the Labour Force Survey (LFS) 2025, reflecting deep-rooted structural and cultural barriers that continue to limit women’s economic inclusion.

Despite a generally high national employment rate, the country’s labour force participation has shown little progress in recent years, raising concerns about its ability to fully utilize the potential of its working-age population. The overall Labour Force Participation Rate (LFPR) stood at 65.5 percent in the third quarter of 2025, a figure that has remained largely unchanged over the past eight years.

Female inactivity stands at 44.2 percent, more than 18 points above the male rate of 25.8 percent. The report attributes much of this disparity to unpaid domestic duties, childcare responsibilities, and cultural expectations that keep many women out of paid employment.

The National Statistics Bureau (NSB), in its LFS report, notes that household and family duties remain the dominant reasons for women’s non-participation, whereas men more often cite studies or training. About 20 percent of those inactive reported retirement, pension, or disability as their reason for not joining the workforce.

The country’s LFPR has fluctuated between 63 and 69 percent since 2017, peaking at 69.1 percent in 2021 before declining to 63.9 percent in 2024. The modest recovery reflected in the latest survey emphasizes persistent barriers preventing women from entering or staying in the labour market. Analysts warn that such stagnation could constrain productivity and slow economic diversification, especially as the working-age population accounts for more than three-quarters of the total population.

Sunita, who works for a private company, shared her frustration:
“This system of government has many loopholes. If the government could priorities sending youths abroad to study with jobs waiting for us back home, it would make a real difference. But after finishing university, we are told that our hard-earned qualifications don’t fit the available jobs.”

She added, “Even someone with a completely different qualification can apply for the field we studied. It feels so unfair after studying for three to four years to be left jobless and forced to take up work we know nothing about.”
Rural women continue to participate in larger numbers than their urban counterparts, with rural participation recorded at 68.1 percent compared with 61.1 percent in urban areas. However, the quality of work in rural areas remains uneven, as many women are engaged as own-account or contributing family workers- roles often associated with low productivity and income insecurity.

Motherhood and family responsibilities continue to limit women’s ability to remain in paid work. Yuden, a mother of two, said, “I worked for a few years, but after becoming a mother, I had to choose between my child and my job. The period after delivery requires time to heal both physically and mentally, making it challenging to balance work and motherhood. Within such a short period, it was impossible to manage everything, so I decided to resign and dedicate my time to my child.”

The challenges extend to young women entering the labour market. Among 15–19-year-olds, 94.1 percent are inactive, reflecting near-universal educational enrollment. For the 20–24 age group, 47.2 percent remain outside the labour force. Skills mismatch, limited work experience, and the social stigma attached to Technical and Vocational Education Training (TVET) continue to discourage many young women from seeking work.

“The transition from education to employment remains a critical challenge,” the Ministry of Industry, Commerce and Employment said. “Young people remain inactive due to gaps in skills, qualifications, or job opportunities.”
Female graduates also expressed disappointment with limited employment opportunities. Karma, a graduate, said, “Despite having a degree, it is very difficult to get a job in our country. I have applied for plenty of vacancies, but it feels hopeless there are many things going on in our system. One of the main reasons many of us remain unemployed is the mismatch between our qualifications and the skills required. Most jobs also demand experience, which we don’t have as fresh graduates.”

Sonam Tshomo, another graduate, pointed out that economic pressures add to the difficulties faced by women in urban areas. “There are many job vacancies that we cannot apply for because they either require two to four years of experience or offer very little pay. In Thimphu, food prices and house rents are skyrocketing, yet the salary we get starts from just Nu.10,000 to Nu.15,000, making it difficult to sustain oneself.”

While the overall employment rate remains high at around 97 percent, the stagnation in participation and gender imbalance point to deeper structural issues. Experts note that policies must move beyond job creation and address specific barriers facing women, including childcare support, flexible work arrangements, and gender-responsive skills programmes. Without addressing these factors, the country risks missing out on the potential contribution of its female workforce.

The 2nd Quarter Labour Force Survey Report 2025 shows that the LFPR increased slightly to 65.3 percent from 61.8 percent in the same period last year. Male participation remained largely stable at 72.5 percent, while female participation rose from 50 percent to 56.3 percent. Despite this progress, female inactivity remains particularly high during prime working ages, driven by household duties, childcare responsibilities, and cultural expectations.
The Ministry said, “We are actively promoting entrepreneurship and skills development, especially among women, to enhance labour force participation and create opportunities in emerging sectors.”

Under the UNDP GEF project, more than 62 percent of Nature-Based Solutions entrepreneurs supported are women. Female participation in entrepreneurship events exceeds 55 percent. The Ministry is also encouraging local youth to acquire skills aligned with new hydropower projects, such as heavy vehicle driving, and provides awareness on working conditions, health, and safety in collaboration with Technical Training Institutes.

“The stagnation of the country’s labour force participation is influenced by structural, social, and institutional constraints, particularly affecting women during the prime working age,” the Ministry said.

Without tackling barriers such as childcare, flexible work options, and skills gaps among women and youth, the country risks underutilizing its workforce and losing the potential benefits of its young and capable population. Strengthening support systems and creating opportunities for women across all sectors will be crucial for inclusive and sustainable growth.