The inactivity rate represents the proportion of the working-age population that is not in the labour force. Definitions and sources There are several aspects of the definition to consider for the inactivity indicator. Foremost is the fact that estimates must be made of the entire population, either through household surveys of the labour force, population censuses or other means of estimation. The labour force is defined as the employed plus the unemployed. The balance, then, is the number not in the labour force.
Data vary from country to country as to the overall population coverage.
Some countries may use the total population, including members of the armed forces and persons who are in institutions, such as mental institutions or prisons. Highlights Viewing the data over the course of time, it is clear that the majority of countries have experienced systematic reductions in inactivity among women and, thus, reductions in overall inactivity. In some instances, this has been accompanied by small increases in male inactivity, as females take jobs that might have been filled by their male counterparts, but this is by no means a likely outcome. Declining inactivity rates were particularly evident in Latin America and the Caribbean. It is perhaps risky to attempt to make overall comparisons of inactivity across countries, given the complexities of estimation.