Haiti Female Economic Participation - Economy Snapshot
Summary — This World Bank economy snapshot analyzes female economic participation in Haiti across multiple dimensions including labor force participation, financial inclusion, legal frameworks, and social norms. The document presents comparative data showing Haiti's performance relative to global, regional, and income group averages.
Key Findings
- Female labor force participation rate in Haiti is 59.98%, higher than the global average of 51.1%.
- Only 30.05% of women have bank accounts, indicating low financial inclusion.
- Women face legal restrictions in property ownership and passport applications.
- Educational gender gaps persist with only 9.2% of women completing secondary education vs 15.0% of men.
- Informal employment rate for women reaches 93.8%, limiting access to formal economic opportunities.
Full Description
This comprehensive World Bank Prosperity Data360 economy snapshot examines female economic participation in Haiti through multiple analytical lenses. The document covers labor force participation, with Haiti showing a 59.98% female labor force participation rate in 2024, significantly higher than many regional counterparts. However, the country faces significant challenges in financial inclusion, with only 30.05% of women having bank accounts as of 2017.
The analysis reveals substantial gaps in Haiti's legal and regulatory framework for gender equality. While women can perform many economic activities on equal terms with men, critical restrictions remain, particularly in property ownership rights and passport applications. The Social Institutions Gender Index (SIGI) score of 46.4 indicates moderate discrimination against women in social institutions, considerably higher than both regional (21.2) and global (28.99) averages.
Educational attainment data shows persistent gender gaps, with male literacy rates at 72.9% compared to 63.9% for females in 2017. Secondary education completion rates show even starker differences, with only 9.2% of women aged 25+ completing secondary education versus 15.0% of men. These educational disparities have long-term implications for women's economic participation and advancement opportunities.
The document also highlights areas where data remains unavailable, particularly regarding business ownership, entrepreneurship, and technology access. The informal employment rate for women reaches 93.8%, indicating that the vast majority of economically active women operate outside formal economic structures, limiting their access to social protection and growth opportunities.