Globally, women's parliamentary representation has increased by only 0.4% annually since 2010. During the same period, reported violence against women candidates rose by 20%.
Key Takeaways
- Globally, violence against women candidates rose 20% in 2020-2023
- 82% of women parliamentarians report psychological violence, per IPU 2023
- In Latin America, 40% of female politicians face online harassment daily
- Globally, voter turnout for women exceeds men by 2% on average in recent elections
- In the 2020 US presidential election, 68% of women voted vs 65% of men
- Rwanda's 2023 local elections saw 62% women candidates elected to councils
- There are 90 female Speakers of Parliament across 85 countries as of 2023
- 13 countries have women as Heads of State and/or Government as of 2024
- Bangladesh's Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina has been in power since 2009, longest-serving female leader
- In the US, women hold 27.2% of seats in the House of Representatives as of 2023
- US Senate has 25% women senators as of 2024, a record 25 women
- In the UK, 40% of Supreme Court justices are women as of 2023
- As of January 2024: June 2026, women account for 26.9% of seats in lower or single houses of parliaments worldwide, up from 26.5% in 2023
- Rwanda leads globally with 61.3% women in its lower house of parliament as of 2023
- Cuba has 55.7% women in its National Assembly, the second highest globally in 2023
Women’s political representation is slowly rising, but harassment, caregiving burdens, and funding gaps still hold progress back.
Related reading
01 · Category
Challenges and Progress20 stats
01
Globally, violence against women candidates rose 20% in 2020-2023
02
82% of women parliamentarians report psychological violence, per IPU 2023
03
In Latin America, 40% of female politicians face online harassment daily
04
Women's parliamentary representation increased by 0.4% annually since 2010
05
Gender quotas adopted in 130 countries by 2023, lifting average to 26%
06
Caregiving burdens reduce women MPs' attendance by 15% globally
07
In MENA region, cultural barriers limit women to 18% seats despite quotas
08
COVID-19 reversed women leaders' gains, with 10% drop in new female ministers 2020-2021
09
Youth quotas combined with gender boost under-30 women MPs to 12% in quota countries
10
Media coverage of women candidates is 75% less than men in elections
11
Progress in Nordic countries: 45% average women MPs sustained over decade
12
In Africa, women's caucuses in 40 parliaments advance gender bills
13
Funding gaps: women candidates receive 60% less party finance globally
14
Mentorship programs increase women candidacy by 25% in pilot countries
15
Intersectional barriers: indigenous women hold 5% of seats in Latin America despite 40% population share
16
Digital tools boosted women voter mobilization by 18% in 2022 elections
17
Backlash effect: post-quota, 15% of countries saw harassment rise
18
Legislative wins: women MPs sponsor 40% more gender equality laws
19
Global target of 50% by 2030 per Beijing+25 lags at current 0.5% annual gain pace
20
Corporate boards parity influences politics: 30% women boards correlate with 35% MPs
Interpretation
Challenges and Progress Interpretation
We are slowly building a world where women lead, but it is a construction site where the scaffolding of progress is constantly being shaken by the determined hands of backlash.
02 · Category
Electoral Participation25 stats
01
Globally, voter turnout for women exceeds men by 2% on average in recent elections
02
In the 2020 US presidential election, 68% of women voted vs 65% of men
03
Rwanda's 2023 local elections saw 62% women candidates elected to councils
04
Mexico's 2021 midterm elections had 50% gender parity in candidates, leading to parity in Congress
05
France's 2022 legislative elections mandated parity, resulting in 38.6% women elected
06
In Sweden, women candidates win 46% of seats proportional to nominations
07
Globally, women candidates are 28% of total in 2023 elections per IDEA
08
Argentina's gender quota law since 1991 boosts women MPs to 40%
09
Tunisia's 2014 elections had 47% women elected due to parity law
10
Kenya's 2022 elections saw 23% women elected to parliament despite quotas
11
India's 2023 women's reservation bill aims for 33% in parliament
12
In the EU, average women candidates 38% in 2024 EP elections
13
Brazil's 2022 elections had 33% women elected to Congress, up from 2018
14
South Africa's 2024 elections projected 45% women MPs
15
Japan's 2021 elections had only 10% women candidates, resulting in 10% MPs
16
Globally, 128 countries have gender quotas for candidates as of 2023
17
In local elections, women win 36% of seats worldwide per UN Women
18
New Zealand's MMP system elects 50% women matching candidate parity
19
Canada's 2021 election had 26% women candidates, 30% elected
20
UK 2019 election saw 35% women MPs from 41% candidates
21
Australia's 2022 election doubled women candidates to 37%, 31% elected
22
In the US, women candidates hit record 27% in 2022 midterms
23
Iceland's 2024 elections had 47% women elected due to list alternation
24
Bolivia's Plurinational Assembly parity law yields 52% women
25
Nepal's mixed system elects 33% women post-2017 constitution
Interpretation
Electoral Participation Interpretation
The data reveals a promising but stubborn truth: while ingenious laws and sheer force of will are getting more women to the ballot box and onto ballots, the political gatekeepers are still taking their sweet time turning candidate parity into elected parity, proving that equality is invited to the party but not yet allowed to truly run it.
03 · Category
Executive Positions27 stats
01
There are 90 female Speakers of Parliament across 85 countries as of 2023
02
13 countries have women as Heads of State and/or Government as of 2024
03
Bangladesh's Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina has been in power since 2009, longest-serving female leader
04
Ethiopia's President Sahle-Work Zewde is the first female head of state since 2018
05
Finland's President Alexander Stubb succeeded Sanna Marin, who was PM from 2019-2023
06
New Zealand's former PM Jacinda Ardern resigned in 2023 after serving since 2017
07
Barbados' President Sandra Mason since 2021, first in republic era
08
Honduras' President Xiomara Castro elected in 2021, first woman president
09
Slovakia's President Zuzana Čaputová re-elected in 2024
10
Tanzania's Vice President Samia Suluhu Hassan became President in 2021
11
Globally, women hold 22.9% of ministerial positions as of 2023
12
In Europe, 28.4% of ministers are women in 2023
13
Latin America and Caribbean have 26.8% female ministers on average
14
Sub-Saharan Africa has 24.7% women ministers in 2023
15
Spain's cabinet under Pedro Sánchez has 53.3% women ministers as of 2023
16
Canada's cabinet has 52% women under Justin Trudeau in 2023
17
France has 41% women in government as of 2024
18
Germany has 41.2% female ministers post-2021 coalition
19
Finland has near-parity with 55% women ministers in 2023
20
Sweden has 52.4% women in government as of 2023
21
In OECD countries, women average 32% of cabinet positions in 2023
22
Globally, only 18.3% of Finance Ministers are women in 2023
23
13.6% of Defence Ministers worldwide are women as of 2023
24
Women lead 37% of Foreign Ministries globally in 2023, highest portfolio
25
In the EU, women hold 33% of commissioner positions as of 2024
26
Namibia has 46.2% women ministers as of 2023
27
Globally, 91 countries have had a female head of government as of 2023
Interpretation
Executive Positions Interpretation
The glass ceiling is beginning to look more like a latticework, with progress in fits and starts; while a few nations have women nearly running the show, the global stage still feels like a stubbornly exclusive club where the bouncer rarely checks the list.
More related reading
04 · Category
Judicial Roles22 stats
01
In the US, women hold 27.2% of seats in the House of Representatives as of 2023
02
US Senate has 25% women senators as of 2024, a record 25 women
03
In the UK, 40% of Supreme Court justices are women as of 2023
04
Canada's Supreme Court has 50% women justices since 2015
05
South Africa's Constitutional Court has 67% women justices as of 2023
06
India's Supreme Court has 10.5% women justices with 2 out of 19 in 2023
07
Globally, women comprise 38% of national court judges on average per UN 2023 report
08
In Latin America, 45% of judges are women as of 2022
09
Europe averages 55% women in lower courts but drops to 37% in supreme courts
10
Rwanda's judiciary has 65% women judges as of 2023
11
Bolivia's Supreme Court of Justice elected 7 women out of 9 in 2023, 78%
12
Mexico's Supreme Court has 50% women justices as of 2023
13
Colombia's Constitutional Court has 56% women as of 2023
14
In Australia, 44% of federal judges are women as of 2023
15
New Zealand's judiciary has 42% women High Court judges in 2023
16
France's highest court has 48% women members as of 2023
17
Germany's Federal Constitutional Court has 50% women justices since 2023 appointments
18
In the Pacific Islands, women hold only 12% of judicial positions on average
19
Globally, women are 27% of prosecutors per 2023 data
20
In Asia, average women judges is 25% in higher courts
21
Uganda's judiciary has 45% women judges as of 2023
22
Kenya's Supreme Court has 44% women justices post-2021
Interpretation
Judicial Roles Interpretation
While a global wave of progress sees women increasingly breaking the judicial glass ceiling, the legislative branch often remains a stubbornly exclusive gentlemen's club, proving it's often easier to rule on the law than to write it.
05 · Category
Legislative Representation30 stats
01
As of January 2024: June 2026, women account for 26.9% of seats in lower or single houses of parliaments worldwide, up from 26.5% in 2023
02
Rwanda leads globally with 61.3% women in its lower house of parliament as of 2023
03
Cuba has 55.7% women in its National Assembly, the second highest globally in 2023
04
Nicaragua ranks third with 54.8% women in its National Assembly as of 2023
05
Mexico's Chamber of Deputies has 50.2% women following 2021 elections, achieving parity
06
New Zealand's House of Representatives has 50.3% women as of 2023 elections
07
South Africa's National Assembly has 45.6% women post-2019 elections
08
Sweden's Riksdag has 46.4% women as of 2022
09
Finland's Parliament has 45.9% women following 2023 elections
10
Belgium's Chamber of Representatives has 43.7% women as of 2023
11
In the Arab States, women hold only 18.5% of parliamentary seats on average in 2023
12
Sub-Saharan Africa averages 25.1% women in lower houses in 2023, second highest regionally
13
Europe (including Nordic) averages 31.4% women in parliaments in 2023
14
The Americas average 34.8% women in lower houses, highest regionally in 2023
15
Asia averages 21.4% women in parliaments as of 2023
16
United Arab Emirates has 50% women in its Federal National Council as of 2023
17
Andorra's General Council has 42.9% women post-2023 elections
18
Liechtenstein's Parliament has 33.3% women as of 2021
19
San Marino's Grand and General Council has 23.5% women in 2023
20
Monaco's National Council has 25% women post-2023 elections
21
Vietnam's National Assembly has 30.3% women as of 2021
22
Lao PDR's National Assembly has 47.2% women in 2021
23
Timor-Leste's National Parliament has 42.4% women post-2023
24
Australia's House of Representatives has 31.3% women post-2022 elections
25
Canada's House of Commons has 30.5% women as of 2021
26
United Kingdom's House of Commons has 34.0% women post-2019
27
France's National Assembly has 38.6% women post-2022
28
Germany's Bundestag has 34.9% women post-2021
29
Italy's Chamber of Deputies has 35.7% women post-2022
30
Spain's Congress of Deputies has 44.3% women post-2023
Interpretation
Legislative Representation Interpretation
While global progress in women's political representation is moving at a glacial pace—having barely inched forward from 26.5% to 26.9%—the true story is a continental sprint where the Americas lead at 34.8%, a few nations like Rwanda soar above 60%, and a frustratingly large club of countries remains stubbornly stuck in the last century.
Reference
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.
APA
Priyanka Sharma. (2026, February 13). Women In Politics Statistics. Gitnux. https://gitnux.org/women-in-politics-statistics
MLA
Priyanka Sharma. "Women In Politics Statistics." Gitnux, 13 Feb 2026, https://gitnux.org/women-in-politics-statistics.
Chicago
Priyanka Sharma. 2026. "Women In Politics Statistics." Gitnux. https://gitnux.org/women-in-politics-statistics.
Sources & references
64 datasets cited across this report · attribution is report-level