Unemployment

Sex differences

Young women currently have a slightly higher rate of unemployment than young men, though the pattern has varied over the last two decades. 

In 2007, the unemployment rate for young women aged 15 to 24 was 9.8 percent, compared with 9.6 percent for young men aged 15 to 24.

Unemployment rate for young people aged 15 to 24, by sex, 1986-2007
  1986
(%)
1991
(%)
1996
(%)
2001
(%)
2006
(%)
2007
(%)
Male 7.8 20.6 12.4 12.1 9.2 9.6
Female 8.0 16.8 11.1 11.5 10.0 9.8
Total 7.9 18.8 11.8 11.8 9.6 9.7

Source: Statistics New Zealand, Household Labour Force Survey, December year end average.