International definition
The share of women in wage employment in the non-agricultural sector is the share of female workers in wage employment in the non-agricultural sector expressed as a percentage of total wage employment in that same sector.
Calculation of estimates for MDG monitoring by ILO
The indicator is calculated by dividing the total number of women in paid employment in the industrial and service sectors by the total number of persons in paid employment in the industrial and service sectors, and multiplying by 100.
As the indicator, and its calculation, is straightforward there are no major discrepancies between the national and ILO figures, providing that the primary source is the same.
Where data from multiple sources are available, a number of criteria have been established for selecting the most appropriate one (e.g., consistency of the concepts, definitions and classifications with the international standards, quality and availability of data/sources over time, etc.).
Where country data for a specific year or a set of years are not available, the ILO estimates the level of the indicator by using the changes of correlated series from another source.
No adjustment to the national data is made.
Process of obtaining data
1) Annual collection through a questionnaire for the Yearbook of Labour Statistics sent directly to the official national authorities (ministries of labour, central statistical services, etc.) The questionnaire is pre-filled with the statistics provided in previous years, so that when countries update their series they also have the possibility to review, verify and where needed, modify the data previously reported. Paid employment is only one of the topics on which statistics is collected.
2) From national publications and websites. National statistical websites are increasingly used. Problems: (i) time consuming to frequent change sin the location of the data/files; (ii) the series available on he national websites do not always correspond to the ILO requirements in respect of classifications, workers coverage, etc.
Consultation with countries
Although the countries are not explicitly consulted on the value of the indicator, each year they have a possibility to review, verify and where needed, modify the data reported over the previous 10 years. Also ILO executes a number of validation and consistency tests on the data reported, and contact the countries for clarifications where needed.
Explanation of most common discrepancies between national and international estimates
1) Use of different definitions and classifications – Although there are clear international standards for the relevant concepts, countries may use different definitions for employment status, especially for part-time workers, students, members of the armed forces, and household or contributing family workers.
2)Use of different data sources.
3) Use of estimates when national data are not available for a particular year.
Comparison of national and international data
National data Data available at ILO
Year / Data / Data source / Discrepancies? Causes? / Data source / Data / Year1990 / LFS / 23.1 / 1990
1991 / 11.0 / LFS / LFS / 23.5 / 1991
1992 / LFS / 22.7 / 1992
1993 / LFS / 22.7 / 1993
1994 / 1994
1995 / 1995
1996 / 1996
1997 / 1997
1998 / 1998
1999 / LFS / 24.3a / 1999
2000 / LFS / 23.4 a / 2000
2001 / LFS / 23.4 a / 2001
2002 / LFS / 24.6 a / 2002
2003 / LFS / 24.2 a / 2003
2004 / 15.4 / LFS / LFS / 24.3 a / 2004
2005 / LFS / 25.9 a / 2005
2006 / 15.6 / LFS / 2006
2007 / 15.8 / LFS / 2007
2008 / 2008
a Total paid employment.
National definition
Data sources used at international level
- LFS 2002, 2003, 2004
Other data on file at ILO but not taken into account for MDG monitoring
Data source / Reason for exclusion for MDG monitoringData used at national level but not included in the MDG monitoring by ILO
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How to submit missing or new survey or census data for international monitoring to ILO?
Data from new nationally representative household surveys and censuses, as well as from nationally representative surveys not listed in this document can be send to: Valentina Stoevska, Bureau of Statistics, International Labour Organization (ILO), e-mail: , .
Remarks
If there are any errors or omissions in this document, thank you for returning a corrected copy of this file by email to: and
UNSD and ESCWA meeting, Beirut, December 2009