Female headed households in Burkina Faso

Burkina Faso: Female headed households was 13.4% in 2021. ▲ Rising

Latest (2021)
13.4%
Change on year
up 52.3%
World rank
30th
of 34 countries
All-time high
13.4%
in 2021
All-time low
6.5%
in 1993
Years of data
7
1993–2021

Female headed households in Burkina Faso, 1993–2021

0510151993200720211993: 6.5 % of households with a female head1999: 6.8 % of households with a female head2003: 9.4 % of households with a female head2010: 9.9 % of households with a female head2014: 11.8 % of households with a female head2018: 8.8 % of households with a female head2021: 13.4 % of households with a female head

Source: DHS API, Demographic and Health Surveys (DHS) Program. Measured in % of households with a female head.

Analysis

Burkina Faso recorded 13.4% for female headed households in 2021. That is the highest value across all 7 years on record.

That represents a change of up 52.3% on the previous year and up 35.4% over ten years.

Over the whole period, female headed households in Burkina Faso peaked at 13.4% in 2021 and was at its lowest, 6.5%, in 1993.

Burkina Faso ranks 30th of 34 countries on this measure, in the bottom quarter.

Female headed households in Burkina Faso, year by year

Annual values for Female headed households (% of households with a female head) in Burkina Faso, 1993 to 2021.
Year % of households with a female head Change
1993 6.5%
1999 6.8% +4.6%
2003 9.4% +38.2%
2010 9.9% +5.3%
2014 11.8% +19.2%
2018 8.8% -25.4%
2021 13.4% +52.3%

Burkina Faso compared with similar countries

  • Burkina Faso's 13.4% is below the median for Sub-Saharan Africa, which is 25.6%, 52% of the median. (21 countries reporting)
  • Burkina Faso's 13.4% is below the median for low income countries, which is 25.1%, 53% of the median. (10 countries reporting)

Averages by decade

DecadeAverage LowestHighest Years
1990s 6.7% 6.5% 6.8% 2
2000s 9.4% 9.4% 9.4% 1
2010s 10.2% 8.8% 11.8% 3
2020s 13.4% 13.4% 13.4% 1

Countries ranked near Burkina Faso

  1. 27 Nigeria 14.9% compare
  2. 27 Turkey 14.9% compare
  3. 29 Indonesia 14.8% compare
  4. 31 Egypt 12.9% compare
  5. 32 Niger 12.8% compare
  6. 33 Jordan 12.2% compare

See the full ranking of 34 places →

More health data for Burkina Faso

All data for Burkina Faso →

Frequently asked questions

What is female headed households in Burkina Faso?
Female headed households in Burkina Faso was 13.4% in 2021, according to DHS API, Demographic and Health Surveys (DHS) Program.
What is the highest female headed households recorded in Burkina Faso?
The highest recorded value was 13.4% in 2021.
What is the lowest female headed households recorded in Burkina Faso?
The lowest recorded value was 6.5% in 1993.
How does Burkina Faso rank for female headed households?
Burkina Faso ranks 30th out of 34 countries with data for 2021.
Is female headed households rising or falling in Burkina Faso?
Over the last ten years it is up 35.4%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
Where does this Burkina Faso data come from?
The figures come from DHS API, Demographic and Health Surveys (DHS) Program, published as part of Female headed households (% of households with a female head). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.

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Female headed households in Burkina Faso. Statizoid, drawing on DHS API, Demographic and Health Surveys (DHS) Program. Retrieved 18 September 2026, from https://health.statizoid.com/stat/female-headed-households-percent-of-households-with-a-female-head/burkina-faso/

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About this data

Indicator
Female headed households (% of households with a female head)
Unit
% of households with a female head
Source
DHS API, Demographic and Health Surveys (DHS) Program
Licence
CC BY 4.0 (World Bank Open Data)
Coverage
34 places, 236 data points, 1990–2023
Last refreshed

Female headed households refers to the percentage of households that are headed by females.