Women’s representation in parliamentary seats worldwide remains low, with women holding just 27.5% of parliamentary seats at the start of 2026.
This is according to a new report released by the Inter-Parliamentary Union (IPU).
The report, titled Women in Parliament 2025, was published ahead of International Women’s Day on March 8.
What the IPU report says
According to the findings, the 0.3% increase marks the slowest growth in women’s parliamentary representation in nearly a decade.
The report also revealed a decline in women’s leadership positions within parliaments. Women secured only 12 out of 75 newly appointed speakership roles.
- “The proportion of women Speakers of Parliament has dipped to 19.9% (54 Speakers) compared with 23.7% a year ago. Of the 75 new Speakers appointed or elected in 2025, only 12 were women (16%),” the report stated.
- The Inter-Parliamentary Union noted that while representation has improved gradually over the years, the pace of change remains insufficient to achieve gender equality in political decision-making.
- The report identified gender quotas as playing a critical role in increasing women’s representation in parliaments. In the 49 countries that held elections in 2025, legislative chambers with quota systems recorded higher levels of female representation.
On average, chambers with some form of quota legislation had about 31% female representation, compared to 23% in parliaments without such measures.
More details
Beyond representation, the report also highlighted growing concerns about political violence and intimidation targeting lawmakers, particularly women.
- A separate Inter-Parliamentary Union report on violence against parliamentarians found that women MPs experience higher levels of intimidation both online and offline compared to their male counterparts.
- According to the findings, 76% of women surveyed reported experiencing violence or harassment, compared with 68% of male legislators. The organisation warned that this trend could discourage more women from seeking political office.
- Despite these challenges, some countries have begun implementing measures to address violence against women in politics. The report cited Colombia, where the national parliament passed legislation aimed at preventing and punishing violence against women in political life.
What you should know
The slow progress in women’s political representation reflects broader global inequalities between men and women.
- According to the United Nations, women currently hold only 64% of the legal rights enjoyed by men worldwide, leaving them vulnerable to discrimination and limited opportunities in many areas of life.
- Despite decades of advocacy and legal reforms, women continue to face barriers that hinder their ability to fully engage in governance.
- Laws in some countries still restrict women from owning property, seeking divorce, or exercising autonomy in public and professional life
