Women in Politics
Political systems decide how public money is spent, which laws exist and whose problems are treated as urgent. Women are a majority of the world's population but hold roughly a quarter of parliamentary seats. This page explains how representation is measured, what the current figures are, and how they differ between countries.
Educational information only. Linha de Fala does not provide legal, medical, psychological or other professional advice, and is not an emergency or reporting service.
In short
What is it?
Whether women take part in political life — voting, running for office, being elected and leading governments.
What do the numbers show?
Women hold about 27% of seats in national parliaments worldwide, and about 23% of ministerial posts.
Where is it happening?
Everywhere, but the difference between countries is huge: from over 60% of seats in Rwanda to under 4% in Nigeria.
Who is affected?
Women of every background, but especially young women, who are the least represented age group in politics.
Why does it matter?
Laws and budgets are written by the people in the room. Fewer women in the room means fewer women's issues on the agenda.
What is it?
Women in politics refers to participation as voters, candidates, elected representatives, ministers, party leaders and senior civil servants.
Representation is measured at several levels — national parliaments, cabinets, local councils and party leadership. A country can look balanced at one level and very unequal at another.
Formal rights are not the same as real access. Almost every country guarantees the right to stand for election, but candidate selection, campaign financing, safety and unpaid care work shape who is actually able to run.
Why does it matter?
- Budgets, health systems, education policy and labour law are written by the people in the room; broader representation widens the range of issues that reach the agenda.
- Representation is a measure of how open a political system is. The barriers that block women from office usually block other under-represented groups too.
- At the current rate of change, UN Women projects that gender parity in national legislative bodies will not be reached before 2063.
The Numbers
27.2%
Share of seats in national parliaments held by women
22.9%
Share of cabinet ministers who are women
25
Countries with a woman Head of State or Government
Women in the single or lower house of parliament
Selected countries, ranked by share of seats held by women.
- Rwanda61.3%
- Mexico50%
- Argentina43.4%
- United Kingdom40.5%
- United States29%
- Brazil17.7%
- India13.6%
- Nigeria3.9%
Unit: % of seats. Source: Inter-Parliamentary Union, Parline database, 2025
Figures on this page are reproduced from the publications listed under Sources. Linha de Fala summarises and explains them; it does not recalculate or estimate them.
Around the World
- Rwanda
- Has had the highest share of women parliamentarians in the world for over a decade, supported by constitutionally reserved seats.Source: IPU Parline, 2025
- Mexico
- A 2019 constitutional reform extended parity to all three branches of government; both chambers of Congress are now close to 50% women.Source: UN Women / IPU, 2024
- India
- The Women's Reservation Act (2023) provides for one-third of seats in the lower house and state assemblies to be reserved for women, to take effect after a future delimitation exercise.Source: Government of India, 106th Constitutional Amendment, 2023
- Nigeria
- Has one of the lowest shares of women in parliament worldwide; party candidate selection is repeatedly identified as the central barrier.Source: IPU Parline, 2025
Young Voices
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Are you writing about this issue where you live? Join the Global Youth Contributors Program.
What Governments Are Doing
- Legislated candidate quotasA law requires parties to field a minimum share of women candidates, usually with sanctions for non-compliance. Used in over 60 countries.Source: International IDEA, Gender Quotas Database
- Reserved seatsA fixed number of parliamentary or council seats is set aside for women, most often in single- or dominant-party systems and at local level.Source: International IDEA, Gender Quotas Database
- Voluntary party quotasParties adopt internal targets with no legal requirement; outcomes depend entirely on internal enforcement.Source: International IDEA, Gender Quotas Database
Data & Sources
Statistics on this page come from reliable international organisations and official datasets. Each statistic includes its original year and source so readers can verify the information themselves.
- Source
- Inter-Parliamentary Union
- Year
- 2025
- Indicator
- Parline: monthly ranking of women in national parliaments
- Source
- UN Women
- Year
- 2025
- Indicator
- Facts and figures: Women's leadership and political participation
- Source
- International IDEA
- Year
- 2024
- Indicator
- Gender Quotas Database