Women in Politics: 2008
The countries are ranked according to the percentage
of women in ministerial positions.‡
Reflecting appointments up to 1 January 2008.
Rank
%W
Women
Total
ministers
50 to 60%
11
/ 19
10
/ 18
6
/ 12
40 to 49.9%
4
Sweden
47.6
10
/ 21
5
France
46.7
7
/ 15
6
South Africa
44.8
13
/ 29
7
Spain
43.8
7
/ 16
8
Switzerland
42.9
3
/ 7
9
Chile
40.9
9
/ 22
35 to 39.9%
10 El Salvador
38.9
7
/ 18
11 Austria
38.5
5
/ 13
12 Andorra
37.5
3
/ 8
13 Denmark
36.8
7
/ 19
14 Iceland
36.4
4
/ 11
” Trinidad and Tobago*
36.4
8
/ 22
15 Cape Verde
35.7
5
/ 14
16 Ecuador
35.3
12
/ 34
30 to 34.9%
17 Germany
33.3
5
/ 15
” Netherlands
33.3
5
/ 15
” Nicaragua
33.3
4
/ 12
18 New Zealand
32.1
9
/ 28
19 Lesotho*
31.6
6
/ 19
25 to 29.9%
20 Burundi
29.6
8
/ 27
21 Costa Rica
29.4
5
/ 17
” Peru
29.4
5
/ 17
22 Uruguay
28.6
4
/ 14
23 Uganda
28.0
7
/ 25
24 Barbados
27.8
5
/ 18
” Botswana
27.8
5
/ 18
” Gambia*
27.8
5
/ 18
25 Guyana
26.3
5
/ 19
” Poland
26.3
5
/ 19
26 Mozambique
25.9
7
/ 27
27 Niger
25.8
8
/ 31
28 Guinea-Bissau*
25.0
5
/ 20
” Namibia
25.0
6
/ 24
” Saõ Tomé and Principe
25.0
3
/ 12
” Timor-Leste*
25.0
3
/ 12
20 to 24.9%
29 Australia
24.1
7
/ 29
30 Italy
24.0
6
/ 25
31 Malawi
23.8
5
/ 21
” United States of America
23.8
5
/ 21
32 Bolivia
23.5
4
/ 17
” Bulgaria
23.5
4
/ 17
” Croatia
23.5
4
/ 17
33 Argentina
23.1
3
/ 13
” Belgium
23.1
3
/ 13
” Colombia
23.1
3
/ 13
” Estonia
23.1
3
/ 13
” Lithuania
23.1
3
/ 13
” Mali
23.1
6
/ 26
” Panama
23.1
3
/ 13
” Samoa
23.1
3
/ 13
34 Nigeria
22.7
5
/ 22
” United Kingdom
22.7
5
/ 22
35 Benin
22.2
6
/ 27
” Latvia
22.2
4
/ 18
36 Dominica*
21.4
3
/ 14
” Hungary
21.4
3
/ 14
” Ireland
21.4
3
/ 14
” Saint Vincent and the Grenadines 21.4
3
/ 14
” Venezuela
21.4
6
/ 28
37 United Republic of Tanzania
20.7
6
/ 29
38 Liberia
20.0
4
/ 20
” Liechtenstein
20.0
1
/ 5
” Mongolia
20.0
3
/ 15
” Nepal
20.0
6
/ 30
” San Marino
20.0
2
/ 10
” Seychelles
20.0
2
/ 10
15 to 19.9%
39 Morocco
19.2
5
/ 26
40 Paraguay
18.9
7
/ 37
41 Cuba
18.8
6
/ 32
” Kyrgyzstan*
18.8
3
/ 16
” Swaziland
18.8
3
/ 16
42 Belize*
18.2
2
/ 11
” Cyprus
18.2
2
/ 11
43 Senegal
17.9
5
/ 28
44 Eritrea*
17.6
3
/ 17
” Georgia*
17.6
3
/ 17
” Slovenia
17.6
3
/ 17
45 Chad
17.2
5
/ 29
46 Gabon
16.7
7
/ 42
” Rwanda
16.7
3
/ 18
” Serbia
16.7
4
/ 24
” Suriname
16.7
3
/ 18
” Zambia
16.7
4
/ 24
47 Zimbabwe
16.3
7
/ 43
48 Canada
16.0
4
/ 25
49 Ghana
15.9
7
/ 44
50 Guinea*
15.8
3
/ 19
” Mexico
15.8
3
/ 19
51 Malta
15.4
2
/ 13
10 to 14.9%
52 Jordan
14.8
4
/ 27
53 Dominican Republic
14,5
3
/ 21
54 Burkina Faso
14.3
5
/ 35
” Luxembourg
14.3
2
/ 14
” Maldives*
14.3
3
/ 21
” Micronesia (Federated States of) 14.3
1
/ 7
” Sierra Leone
14.3
3
/ 21
55 Equatorial Guinea
14.0
7
/ 50
56 The F.Y.R. of Macedonia
13.6
3
/ 22
57 Slovakia
13.3
2
/ 15
58 Congo
13.2
5
/ 38
59 Central African Republic
12.5
3
/ 24
” Côte d’Ivoire
12.5
4
/ 32
” Czech Republic
12.5
2
/ 16
” Madagascar
12.5
2
/ 16
” Portugal
12.5
2
/ 16
60 Democratic Rep. of the Congo
12.1
4
/ 33
61 Israel
12.0
3
/ 25
” Mauritania
12.0
3
/ 25
62 Greece
11.8
2
/ 17
” Japan
11.8
2
/ 17
63 Cameroon
11.6
5
/ 43
64 Brazil
11.4
4
/ 35
65 Haiti
11.1
2
/ 18
” Jamaica
11.1
2
/ 18
” Lao People’s Democratic Rep.
11.1
3
/ 27
66 Algeria
10.8
4
/ 37
” Indonesia
10.8
4
/ 37
67 Republic of Moldova
10.5
2
/ 19
68 India
10.3
4
/ 39
” Iraq*
10.3
4
/ 39
69 Marshall Islands
10.0
1
/ 10
” Mauritius
10.0
2
/ 20
” Thailand
10.0
2
/ 20
5 to 9.9%
70 Ethiopia
9.5
2
/ 21
” Russian Federation
9.5
2
/ 21
” Togo
9.5
2
/ 21
71 Malaysia*
9.4
3
/ 32
72 Antigua and Barbuda
9.1
1
/ 11
” Djibouti
9.1
2
/ 22
” Oman
9.1
3
/ 33
” Philippines
9.1
2
/ 22
73 China*
8.6
3
/ 35
74 Bahamas*
8.3
1
/ 12
” Bangladesh*
8.3
1
/ 12
” Fiji*
8.3
1
/ 12
75 United Arab Emirates
8.0
2
/ 25
76 Kiribati*
7.7
1
/ 13
” Qatar
7.7
1
/ 13
” Vanuatu*
7.7
1
/ 13
77 Brunei Darussalam
7.1
1
/ 14
” Tunisia
7.1
2
/ 28
” Turkmenistan*
7.1
2
/ 28
78 Cambodia*
6.9
2
/ 29
79 Albania
6.7
1
/ 15
” Azerbaijan
6.7
2
/ 30
” Guatemala
6.7
1
/ 15
” Kuwait
6.7
1
/ 15
80 Belarus
6.5
2
/ 31
” Egypt
6.5
2
/ 31
81 Angola
6.3
2
/ 32
” Montenegro
6.3
1
/ 16
” Sudan
6.3
2
/ 32
” Syrian Arab Republic
6.3
2
/ 32
82 Armenia
5.9
1
/ 17
” Tajikistan*
5.9
1
/ 17
83 Sri Lanka
5.7
3
/ 53
” Yemen
5.7
2
/ 35
84 Kazakhstan*
5.6
1
/ 18
85 Uzbekistan*
5.3
1
/ 19
86 Republic of Korea
5.0
1
/ 20
3 to 4.9%
87 Lebanon
4.5
1
/ 22
88 Bahrain
4.3
1
/ 23
” Ukraine
4.3
1
/ 23
89 Turkey
4.2
1
/ 24
” Viet Nam*
4.2
1
/ 24
90 Afghanistan
3.7
1
/ 27
91 Pakistan
3.6
1
/ 28
” Papua New Guinea*
3.6
1
/ 28
92 Iran (Islamic Republic of)
3.2
1
/ 31
0%
93 Bhutan*
0.0
0
/ 3
” Bosnia and Herzegovina
0.0
0
/ 9
” Democratic People’s Rep. of Korea* 0.0
0
/ 33
” Libyan Arab Jamahiriya
0.0
0
/ 18
” Monaco
0.0
0
/ 5
” Myanmar*
0.0
0
/ 37
” Nauru*
0.0
0
/ 6
” Palau*
0.0
0
/ 8
” Romania
0.0
0
/ 15
” Saudi Arabia
0.0
0
/ 28
” Singapore
0.0
0
/ 17
” Solomon Islands
0.0
0
/ 23
” Tuvalu
0.0
0
/ 7
Information not available
Comoros, Honduras, Kenya, Saint Kitts and Nevis,
Saint Lucia, Somalia, Tonga.
1
2
3
ISBN 978-92-9142-376-7 (IPU). Based on United Nations map No 4136 Rev. 4 (The World Today), updated in 2006.
Country
Finland
Norway
Grenada
57.9
55.6
50.0
Rank
Situation on 1 January 2008
Without the active participation
of women and the incorporation
of women’s perspective
at all levels of decision-making,
the goals of equality,
development and peace
cannot be achieved.
Greenland
(Denmark)
Alaska
(U.S.A.)
Canada
Beijing Platform for Action,
Fourth World Conference on Women, 1995
Norway
Sweden
Estonia
Belarus
Czech Rep.
Denmark
Iceland
United Kingdom
Netherlands
Ireland
Belgium
Luxembourg
Pacific Ocean
Finland
Poland
Germany
Switzerland
Italy
Monaco
San Marino
United States of America
Bulgaria
Spain
Lebanon
Israel
a
Morocco
Algeria
Venezuela
Colombia
Cape Verde
Saint Kitts and Nevis
Antigua and Barbuda
Dominica
Saint Lucia
St.Vincent and the Grenadines
Senegal
Trinidad and Tobago
Gambia
Guinea-Bissau
Barbados
Guinea
Guyana
Sierra Leone
Suriname
Liberia
French Guiana
Ghana
Togo
Islamic Rep. of Iran
Iraq
a
Syrian Arab Rep.
Niger
Yemen
Chad
Sudan
Burkina
Faso
Nigeria
Afghanistan
Bhutan
Nepal
Kuwait
Bahrain
Qatar
United Arab
Emirates
Oman
Jordan
Eritrea
Djibouti
Bangladesh
Myanmar
Sri Lanka
Brunei
Darussalam
Nauru
Maldives
Uganda
Seychelles
Rwanda
Burundi
Brazil
Marshall Islands
Malaysia
Kenya
United Rep.
of Tanzania
Micronesia
(Fed. States of)
Palau
Somalia
Democratic
Republic of
the Congo
Lao People’s Dem. Rep.
Viet Nam
Thailand
Cambodia
Philippines
India
Ethiopia
Central
African Rep.
Benin
Cameroon
Côte d’Ivoire
São Tomé and Principe
Equatorial Guinea
Gabon
Congo
China
Egypt
Saudi
Arabia
Mali
Japan
Dem. People’s Rep. of Korea
Republic of Korea
Kyrgyzstan
Tajikistan
Jammu and Kashmir *
Turkmenistan
Mauritania
Ecuador
The achievement of democracy
presupposes a genuine partnership
between men and women
in the conduct of the affairs of society
in which they work in equality
and complementarity,
drawing mutual enrichment
from their differences.
Mongolia
Pakistan
Libyan Arab
Jamahiriya
Western Sahara
Grenada
Georgia
Armenia
Azerbaijan
Uzbekistan
Albania
Greece
Turkey
Cyprus
Gibraltar (U.K.)
Portugal
Malta
Tunisia
Mexico
Belize
Guatemala
Honduras
El Salvador
Nicaragua
Costa Rica
Panama
Kazakhstan
T.F.Y.R. of Macedonia
Andorra
Bahamas
Cuba
Jamaica
Haiti
Dominican Rep.
Russian Federation
Latvia
Lithuania
Liechtenstein
Austria
Slovakia
Slovenia
Ukraine
Hungary
Croatia
Bosnia and Herzegovina
Rep. of Moldova
Romania
Serbia
Montenegro
France
Tuvalu
Singapore
Indonesia
Timor-Leste
Peru
Solomon Islands
Samoa
Zambia
Bolivia
Indian Ocean
Zimbabwe
Namibia
Botswana
Atlantic Ocean
Paraguay
Kiribati
Papua New Guinea
Angola
Universal Declaration on Democracy, 1997, Principle No 4
Swaziland
Lesotho
South
Africa
Comoros
Mauritius
Malawi
Mozambique
Madagascar
Vanuatu
Fiji
Australia
Tonga
Argentina
Uruguay
About this map
Chile
The colour coding of the countries reflects the percentage of women in unicameral parliaments or in the lower house of parliament
and corresponds to the data found in the world ranking of women in parliament on the right of the map.
A world ranking of women ministers is on the left hand side of the map.
Woman presiding officer of parliament or one house of parliament
Woman Head of Government and/or elected Head of State
Falkland Islands
(Malvinas) (U.K.)
a
Occupied Palestinian Territory
All data reflect the situation on 1 January 2008. The information presented has been submitted to the IPU by national authorities. unless otherwise indicated.
The IPU is responsible for the processing of the data and the criteria applied in displaying the information.
New Zealand
The designations employed and the presentation of material on this map do not imply the expression of any opinion whatsoever on the part of the Secretariat of the United Nations or the Secretariat
of the Inter-Parliamentary Union concerning the legal status of any country. territory, city or any area or of its authorities, or concerning the delimitation of its frontiers or boundaries.
* Dotted line represents approximately the Line of Control in Jammu and Kashmir agreed upon by India and Pakistan. The final status of Jammu and Kashmir has not yet been agreed upon by the parties.
Contacts:
United Nations Division for the Advancement of Women
Department of Economic and Social Affairs
E-mail: [email protected]
Web: www.un.org/womenwatch/daw
Portfolios held by Women Ministers
(1022 portfolios, for 185 countries)
91
84
72
70
56
53
49
49
49
45
39
34
32
30
29
27
27
26
22
19
19
17
15
15
15
9
9
9
 The total includes Deputy Prime Ministers and Ministers. Prime
Ministers were also included when they held ministerial
portfolios. Vice-Presidents and heads of governmental or public
agencies have not been included.
Source: Information obtained from Governments, Permanent Missions
to the United Nations, or publicly available information which is
indicated as (*).
Women in Parliament
The countries are ranked and colour-coded according to the percentage of women
in unicameral parliaments or the lower house of parliament.
Reflecting elections/appointments up to 1 January 2008.
6
5
0
10
20
30
40
50
Number of portfolios
60
70
80
90
Social Affairs
Family / Children / Youth / Elderly / Disabled
Women’s Affairs / Gender Equality
Education
Environment / Natural Resources / Energy
Trade / Industry
Employment / Labour / Vocational Training
Foreign Affairs (including development assistance)
Health
Culture
Justice
Research and Development / Science and Technology
Public Works / Territorial Planning
Housing / Urban Affairs
Agriculture / Food / Forestry / Fishing
Home Affairs / Immigration (including integration and refugees)
Public Administration / Public Service
Communications / Telecommunications / Postal Affairs
Local Government
Tourism
Economy / Development
Finance / Budget
Transport
Sports
Human Rights
Information / Media
Parliamentary Affairs
Ministers of State without portfolio
Defence and Veteran Affairs
Population
Inter-Parliamentary Union
Headquarters
E-mail: [email protected]
Web: www.ipu.org
Office of the Permanent Observer of the IPU
to the United Nations in New York
E-mail: [email protected]
Women in the Highest Positions of State
World and Regional Averages
of Women in Parliament
Single or
Upper House Both Houses
Lower House
or Senate
combined
(1 January 2008)
Head of State (HS)
1
7/150 = 4.7%
143/150 = 95.3%
Presiding Officers of Parliament
Head of Government (HG)
8/192 = 4.2%
Argentina (HS/HG)
Chile (HS/HG)
Finland (HS)
Germany (HG)
India (HS)
Ireland (HS)
184/192 = 95.8%
Liberia (HS/HG)
Mozambique (HG)
New Zealand (HG)
Philippines (HS/HG)
Ukraine (HG)
Note: (HS/HG) = The Head of State is also the Head of Government.
1
Only elected Heads of State have been taken into account.
234/262 = 89.3%
28/262 = 10.7%
189 Parliaments, of which 76 are bicameral = 265 Chambers of Parliament1
Albania (Assembly)
Lesotho (National Assembly)
Antigua and Barbuda (House of Representatives and Senate) Mexico (Chamber of Deputies)
Austria (National Council)
Netherlands (House of Representatives and Senate)
Bahamas (Senate)
New Zealand (House of Representatives)
Belize (House of Representatives)
Saint Kitts and Nevis (National Assembly)
Colombia (Senate)
Saint Lucia (House of Assembly and Senate)
Dominica (House of Assembly)
South Africa (National Assembly)
Estonia (Parliament)
Swaziland (Senate)
Gambia (The) (National Assembly)
Turkmenistan (Assembly)
Georgia (Parliament)
United Kingdom (House of Lords)
Hungary (National Assembly)
Unites States of America (House of Representatives)
Israel (Parliament)
Venezuela (National Assembly)
Zimbabwe (Senate)
Three chambers of parliament do not have a presiding officer as at 1 January 2008.
1
World average
17.9%
16.7%
17.7%
Regional averages
Regions are classified by descending order of the percentage of women in unicameral
parliaments or the lower house of parliament.
The regional groupings used herein are those of the IPU.
Nordic countries
41.4%
—
41.4%
Europe OSCE
(Nordic countries included)
20.9%
17.9%
20.3%
Americas
20.7%
20.1%
20.6%
Europe OSCE
(Nordic countries not included)
19.0%
17.9%
18.8%
Sub-Saharan Africa
17.3%
21.2%
17.7%
Asia
16.9%
14.8%
16.7%
Pacific
12.9%
31.8%
15.0%
9.6%
7.0%
9.0%
Arab States
Country
Lower or single House
% W Women Seats
Upper House or Senate
% W Women Seats
1
2
3
4
Rwanda
Sweden
Finland
Argentina
48.8
47.0
41.5
40.0
39 / 80
164 / 349
83 / 200
102 / 255
34.6
—
—
38.9
40 to 50.0%
9 / 26
—/ —
—/ —
28 / 72
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
Netherlands
Denmark
Costa Rica
Spain
Norway
Cuba
Belgium
39.3
38.0
36.8
36.6
36.1
36.0
35.3
59 / 150
68 / 179
21 / 57
128 / 350
61 / 169
219 / 609
53 / 150
34.7
—
—
23.2
—
—
38.0
35 to 39.9%
26 / 75
—/ —
—/ —
60 / 259
—/ —
—/ —
27 / 71
12
13
14
15
16
17
18
19
20
Mozambique
Iceland
New Zealand
South Africa *
Austria
Germany
Uganda
Burundi
United Republic of Tanzania
34.8
33.3
33.1
33.0
32.8
31.6
30.7
30.5
30.4
87 / 250
21 / 63
40 / 121
132 / 400
60 / 183
194 / 613
102 / 332
36 / 118
97 / 319
—
—
—
40.7
24.6
21.7
—
34.7
—
—/ —
—/ —
—/ —
22 / 54
15 / 61
15 / 69
—/ —
17 / 49
—/ —
25 to 29.9%
21
”
”
22
23
24
25
26
27
28
29
30
”
31
32
33
”
34
35
Peru
The F.Y.R. of Macedonia
Timor-Leste
Belarus
Guyana
Andorra
Switzerland
Portugal
Afghanistan
Namibia
Trinidad and Tobago
Australia
Grenada
Viet Nam
Kyrgyzstan
Iraq
Suriname
Lao People’s Democratic Republic
Ecuador
29.2
29.2
29.2
29.1
29.0
28.6
28.5
28.3
27.7
26.9
26.8
26.7
26.7
25.8
25.6
25.5
25.5
25.2
25.0
35 / 120
35 / 120
19 / 65
32 / 110
20 / 69
8 / 28
57 / 200
65 / 230
67 / 242
21 / 78
11 / 41
40 / 150
4 / 15
127 / 493
23 / 90
70 / 275
13 / 51
29 / 115
25 / 100
—
—
—
31.0
—
—
21.7
—
21.6
26.9
41.9
35.5
30.8
—
—
—
—
—
—
—/ —
—/ —
—/ —
18 / 58
—/ —
—/ —
10 / 46
—/ —
22 / 102
7 / 26
13 / 31
27 / 76
4 / 13
—/ —
—/ —
—/ —
—/ —
—/ —
—/ —
20 to 24.9%
36
37
38
”
39
40
41
42
43
44
45
46
”
47
48
49
50
51
52
53
”
54
55
56
”
57
58
Singapore
Liechtenstein
Lesotho
Seychelles
Honduras
Luxembourg
Mexico
Tunisia
Lithuania
United Arab Emirates
Mauritania
Eritrea
Senegal
Ethiopia
Republic of Moldova
Bulgaria
Canada
Pakistan
Croatia
Estonia
Monaco
China
Philippines
Poland
Serbia
Democratic People’s Rep. of Korea
Latvia
24.5
24.0
23.5
23.5
23.4
23.3
23.2
22.8
22.7
22.5
22.1
22.0
22.0
21.9
21.8
21.7
21.3
21.1
20.9
20.8
20.8
20.6
20.5
20.4
20.4
20.1
20.0
23 / 94
6 / 25
28 / 119
8 / 34
30 / 128
14 / 60
116 / 500
43 / 189
32 / 141
9 / 40
21 / 95
33 / 150
33 / 150
116 / 529
22 / 101
52 / 240
65 / 305
72 / 342
32 / 153
21 / 101
5 / 24
611 /2963
49 / 239
94 / 460
51 / 250
138 / 687
20 / 100
—
—
29.0
—
—
—
18.0
15.3
—
—
16.1
—
40.0
18.8
—
—
34.4
17.0
—
—
—
—
17.4
8.0
—
—
—
—/ —
—/ —
9 / 31
—/ —
—/ —
—/ —
23 / 128
17 / 111
—/ —
—/ —
9 / 56
—/ —
40 / 100
21 / 112
—/ —
—/ —
32 / 93
17 / 100
—/ —
—/ —
—/ —
—/ —
4 / 23
8 / 100
—/ —
—/ —
—/ —
15 to 19.9%
59
60
”
61
”
62
63
64
”
65
”
66
67
”
68
”
69
70
71
72
”
”
73
74
”
75
76
77
78
79
”
Dominican Republic
Cambodia
United Kingdom
Guinea
Slovakia
Venezuela
Nicaragua
France
Saint Vincent and the Grenadines
Cape Verde
Sudan
Equatorial Guinea
Tajikistan
Uzbekistan
Italy
Nepal
Mauritius
Bolivia
United States of America
El Salvador
Gabon
Panama
Dominica
Turkmenistan
Zimbabwe
Kazakhstan
Czech Republic
Burkina Faso
Zambia
Angola
Chile
19.7
19.5
19.5
19.3
19.3
18.6
18.5
18.2
18.2
18.1
18.1
18.0
17.5
17.5
17.3
17.3
17.1
16.9
16.8
16.7
16.7
16.7
16.1
16.0
16.0
15.9
15.5
15.3
15.2
15.0
15.0
35 / 178
24 / 123
126 / 646
22 / 114
29 / 150
31 / 167
17 / 92
105 / 577
4 / 22
13 / 72
80 / 443
18 / 100
11 / 63
21 / 120
109 / 630
57 / 329
12 / 70
22 / 130
73 / 435
14 / 84
20 / 120
13 / 78
5 / 31
8 / 50
24 / 150
17 / 107
31 / 200
17 / 111
24 / 158
33 / 220
18 / 120
3.1
14.8
19.7
—
—
—
—
18.2
—
—
6.0
—
23.5
15.0
14.0
—
—
3.7
16.0
—
15.4
—
—
—
36.4
4.3
13.6
—
—
—
5.3
1 / 32
9 / 61
148 / 750
—/ —
—/ —
—/ —
—/ —
60 / 330
—/ —
—/ —
3 / 50
—/ —
8 / 34
15 / 100
45 / 322
—/ —
—/ —
1 / 27
16 / 100
—/ —
14 / 91
—/ —
—/ —
—/ —
24 / 66
2 / 47
11 / 81
—/ —
—/ —
—/ —
2 / 38
10 to 14.9%
80
81
82
83
84
”
85
86
87
”
”
88
89
90
91
92
”
93
94
”
”
95
96
”
97
98
99
”
”
”
”
100
101
”
102
”
”
103
104
”
Greece
Republic of Korea
Cyprus
Israel
Guinea-Bissau
Russian Federation
Cameroon
Djibouti
Barbados
Ireland
Jamaica
Sierra Leone
Malawi
Liberia
Niger
Bahamas
Slovenia
Uruguay
Guatemala
Maldives
Syrian Arab Republic
Bosnia and Herzegovina
San Marino
Thailand
Indonesia
Azerbaijan
Botswana
Hungary
Montenegro
Saint Lucia
Togo
Ghana
Benin
Swaziland
Antigua and Barbuda
Central African Republic
Morocco
Mali
Malaysia
Paraguay
14.7
14.4
14.3
14.2
14.0
14.0
13.9
13.8
13.3
13.3
13.3
13.2
13.0
12.5
12.4
12.2
12.2
12.1
12.0
12.0
12.0
11.9
11.7
11.7
11.6
11.4
11.1
11.1
11.1
11.1
11.1
10.9
10.8
10.8
10.5
10.5
10.5
10.2
10.0
10.0
44 / 300
43 / 299
8 / 56
17 / 120
14 / 100
63 / 450
25 / 180
9 / 65
4 / 30
22 / 166
8 / 60
16 / 121
25 / 193
8 / 64
14 / 113
5 / 41
11 / 90
12 / 99
19 / 158
6 / 50
30 / 250
5 / 42
7 / 60
56 / 477
64 / 550
14 / 123
7 / 63
43 / 386
9 / 81
2 / 18
9 / 81
25 / 230
9 / 83
7 / 65
2 / 19
11 / 105
34 / 325
15 / 147
22 / 219
8 / 80
—
—
—
—
—
4.7
—
—
23.8
21.7
14.3
—
—
16.7
—
60.0
2.5
12.9
—
—
—
13.3
—
8.7
—
—
—
—
—
27.3
—
—
—
36.7
23.5
—
1.1
—
27.7
13.3
—/ —
—/ —
—/ —
—/ —
—/ —
8 / 169
—/ —
—/ —
5 / 21
13 / 60
3 / 21
—/ —
—/ —
5 / 30
—/ —
9 / 15
1 / 40
4 / 31
—/ —
—/ —
—/ —
2 / 15
—/ —
21 / 242
—/ —
—/ —
—/ —
—/ —
—/ —
3 / 11
—/ —
—/ —
—/ —
11 / 30
4 / 17
—/ —
3 / 270
—/ —
18 / 65
6 / 45
5 to 9.9%
105
”
”
”
106
”
107
”
108
109
110
”
111
”
”
112
113
”
114
115
116
117
118
119
120
121
122
Gambia
Georgia
Japan
Romania
Armenia
Malta
India
Turkey
Brazil
Côte d’Ivoire
Colombia
Democratic Republic of the Congo
Samoa
Somalia
Ukraine
Madagascar
Algeria
Libyan Arab Jamahiriya
Congo
Kenya**
Albania
Nigeria
Saint Kitts and Nevis
Mongolia
Jordan
Sri Lanka
Chad
9.4
9.4
9.4
9.4
9.2
9.2
9.1
9.1
9.0
8.9
8.4
8.4
8.2
8.2
8.2
7.9
7.7
7.7
7.3
7.2
7.1
7.0
6.7
6.6
6.4
5.8
5.2
5 / 53
22 / 235
45 / 480
31 / 330
12 / 131
6 / 65
49 / 541
50 / 549
46 / 513
18 / 203
14 / 166
42 / 500
4 / 49
21 / 256
37 / 450
10 / 127
30 / 389
36 / 468
10 / 137
15 / 207
10 / 140
25 / 358
1 / 15
5 / 76
7 / 110
13 / 225
8 / 155
—
—
18.2
10.2
—
—
9.9
—
12.3
—
11.8
4.6
—
—
—
11.1
2.9
—
13.3
—
—
8.3
—
—
12.7
—
—
—/ —
—/ —
44 / 242
14 / 137
—/ —
—/ —
24 / 243
—/ —
10 / 81
—/ —
12 / 102
5 / 108
—/ —
—/ —
—/ —
10 / 90
4 / 136
—/ —
8 / 60
—/ —
—/ —
9 / 109
—/ —
—/ —
7 / 55
—/ —
—/ —
3 to 4.9%
123
124
125
”
126
127
”
128
”
Lebanon
Kiribati
Haiti
Iran (Islamic Republic of)
Vanuatu
Belize
Tonga
Comores
Marshall Islands
4.7
4.3
4.1
4.1
3.8
3.3
3.3
3.0
3.0
6 / 128
2 / 46
4 / 98
12 / 290
2 / 52
1 / 30
1 / 30
1 / 33
1 / 33
—
—
13.3
—
—
38.5
—
—
—
—/ —
—/ —
4 / 30
—/ —
—/ —
5 / 13
—/ —
—/ —
—/ —
0.1 to 2.9%
129
130
131
”
132
133
134
Bhutan
Bahrain
Egypt
Saõ Tomé and Principe
Kuwait
Papua New Guinea
Yemen
2.7
2.5
1.8
1.8
1.5
0.9
0.3
4 / 150
1 / 40
8 / 442
1 / 55
1 / 65
1 / 109
1 / 301
20.0
25.0
6.8
—
—
—
1.8
3 / 15
10 / 40
18 / 264
—/ —
—/ —
—/ —
2 / 111
0%
135
”
”
”
”
”
”
”
Micronesia (Federated States of)
Nauru
Oman
Palau
Qatar
Saudi Arabia
Solomon Islands
Tuvalu
0.0
0 / 14
—
—/ —
0.0
0 / 18
—
—/ —
0.0
0 / 84
20.0
14 / 70
0.0
0 / 16
0.0
0/
9
0.0
0 / 35
—
—/ —
0.0
0 / 150
—
—/ —
0.0
0 / 50
—
—/ —
0.0
0 / 15
—
—/ —
No parliament on 1 January 2008
30 to 34.9%
Bangladesh***, Brunei Darussalam, Fiji, Myanmar
* South Africa: The figures on the distribution of seats in the upper house of parliament do not include
the 36 special rotating delegates appointed on an ad hoc basis, and all percentages given are
therefore calculated on the basis of the 54 permanent seats.
** Kenya: Situation for 1 January 2008 for directly elected members endorsed by the electoral commission. The additional twelve appointed seats and two ex-officio seats had yet to be filled.
*** Bangladesh: As at 1 January 2008 Parliament is dissolved in view of elections scheduled for late 2008.
Source: National parliaments
Printed in France. Imprimerie SADAG. Published by the Inter-Parliamentary Union and the United Nations Division for the Advancement of Women. February 2008.
Women in
Ministerial Positions