Women in National Governments Around the Globe: Fact Sheet

"Women and girls make up half of the world’s population; however, in most countries, women are underrepresented in the political process at the national level. As this report shows, women currently hold 25.4% of legislative seats around the world, an increase from 12.7% of legislative seats in 1998 (see Figure 1). As of December 1, 2020, women held 50% or more of the legislative seats in three countries: Rwanda, Cuba, and the United Arab Emirates (see Table 3). At the executive level, at least 29 countries currently have an elected female head of state or government (see Table 5). Since 1960, about 110 women have been elected or appointed as head of the national government in approximately 70 countries.1

The participation and representation of women in elected government is generally considered healthy for their communities. As Ambassador Kelley E. Currie, U.S. Ambassador-at-Large for Global Women’s Issues, stated in June 2020, “We know for a fact that when women are involved … whether it’s the local issues in their own communities, or getting a seat at the negotiating table for the most critical issues of their countries, that it helps their countries to become more stable, more peaceful, and more prosperous.” 2

To support the United States Government’s efforts to empower women’s political rights, the 116 th Congress appropriated funds for foreign assistance programs designed to promote the political and economic participation of women. Both P.L. 116-94, the Further Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2020, and P.L. 116-260, the Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2021, included funding for Gender Equality programs in Section 7059 of the Department of State, Foreign Operations, and Related Appropriations divisions. Each act appropriated $50 million to fund programs designed to increase the political involvement of women “by strengthening protections for women’s political status, expanding women’s participation in political parties and elections, and increasing women’s opportunities for leadership positions” at the local, provincial, and national levels.3 Each act also appropriated $300 million for grants to the National Endowment for Democracy (NED).4 The NED, through its core institutes, the International Republic Institute and the National Democratic Institute, funds democracy programs, including programs aimed specifically at increasing the political participation of women..."
Women in government