Key Takeaways
- In 2023, women held 28.7% of board seats at S&P 500 companies, up from 19.2% in 2014, according to the Spencer Stuart Board Index.
- Women accounted for 33% of new board appointments in S&P 500 companies in 2023, compared to 27% in 2020.
- Among Russell 3000 companies, female representation on boards reached 25.4% in 2023.
- In 2023, only 10.6% of Fortune 500 CEOs were women.
- Women held 9.9% of CEO positions in S&P 500 companies in 2023.
- Female CFOs in S&P 500 firms increased to 16.5% in 2023 from 7.4% in 2016.
- Women held 27% of parliamentary seats worldwide in 2023.
- In the US Congress, women made up 27.2% of members in 2023.
- Rwanda had 61.3% women in parliament, the highest globally in 2023.
- Women university presidents in US: 30.1% in 2023.
- Female deans in US medical schools: 25.4% in 2023.
- Women provosts in US higher ed: 38.7% in 2023.
- Women in women entrepreneurs globally: 131 million in 2023.
- Female-founded unicorns: 18.5% of total in 2023.
- Women-led VC-backed startups raised 2.3% of total funding in 2023.
Women hold increasing board seats but progress in top leadership roles remains slow.
Academic Leadership
Academic Leadership Interpretation
C-Suite Executives
C-Suite Executives Interpretation
Corporate Boards
Corporate Boards Interpretation
Entrepreneurship
Entrepreneurship Interpretation
Political Leadership
Political Leadership Interpretation
How We Rate Confidence
Every statistic is queried across four AI models (ChatGPT, Claude, Gemini, Perplexity). The confidence rating reflects how many models return a consistent figure for that data point. Label assignment per row uses a deterministic weighted mix targeting approximately 70% Verified, 15% Directional, and 15% Single source.
Only one AI model returns this statistic from its training data. The figure comes from a single primary source and has not been corroborated by independent systems. Use with caution; cross-reference before citing.
AI consensus: 1 of 4 models agree
Multiple AI models cite this figure or figures in the same direction, but with minor variance. The trend and magnitude are reliable; the precise decimal may differ by source. Suitable for directional analysis.
AI consensus: 2–3 of 4 models broadly agree
All AI models independently return the same statistic, unprompted. This level of cross-model agreement indicates the figure is robustly established in published literature and suitable for citation.
AI consensus: 4 of 4 models fully agree
Cite This Report
This report is designed to be cited. We maintain stable URLs and versioned verification dates. Copy the format appropriate for your publication below.
Lars Eriksen. (2026, February 13). Female Leadership Statistics. Gitnux. https://gitnux.org/female-leadership-statistics
Lars Eriksen. "Female Leadership Statistics." Gitnux, 13 Feb 2026, https://gitnux.org/female-leadership-statistics.
Lars Eriksen. 2026. "Female Leadership Statistics." Gitnux. https://gitnux.org/female-leadership-statistics.
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