Women Still Under-represented in Global Political Power

Despite decades of progress toward gender equality, women remain significantly under-represented in political leadership around the world. According to new data released by Inter-Parliamentary Union and UN Women, only 28 countries are currently led by a woman Head of State or Government, meaning just 1 in 7 countries has female leadership.

Even more striking, 101 countries have never had a woman leader.

The findings come from the Women in Politics 2026 report, launched during the 70th session of the Commission on the Status of Women in New York.

Global Statistics Show Slow Progress

The report highlights how slowly women are advancing in political decision-making roles.

Key global statistics include:

• Women hold 22.4% of cabinet minister positions worldwide, down from 23.3% in 2024.

• Women occupy 27.5% of parliamentary seats globally, only slightly higher than 27.2% in 2025.

• 54 women serve as parliamentary Speakers, representing 19.9% of all Speakers worldwide.

This marks the second consecutive year of extremely slow growth in women’s political representation.

Some Countries Achieve Gender Parity

Despite the overall imbalance, the report notes that progress is possible.

• 14 countries have achieved gender parity in cabinet positions.

• However, 8 countries still have no women ministers at all.

These contrasts show that political will and institutional reforms can significantly influence representation.

Women Often Limited to Social Sector Ministries

Even when women reach leadership positions, they are often assigned portfolios linked to traditional gender roles.

For example:

• Women lead 90% of gender-equality ministries.

• Women lead 73% of ministries for family and children’s affairs.

Meanwhile, men overwhelmingly dominate ministries such as:

• Defence

• Home affairs

• Justice

• Economic affairs

• Governance

This imbalance reinforces long-standing stereotypes in political leadership.

Rising Hostility Toward Women in Politics

The report also highlights a troubling trend: increasing hostility toward women politicians.

According to surveys of parliamentarians:

• 76% of women MPs report facing intimidation from the public.

• 68% of men MPs report similar experiences.

Harassment and intimidation-both online and offline-can discourage women from running for office, slowing progress toward equal representation.

Why Gender Balance in Leadership Matters

According to Sima Bahous, excluding women from leadership weakens societies.

She explained that women bring essential perspectives that improve decision-making, prevent conflict, and support long-term peace.

Similarly, Tulia Ackson emphasized that gender parity is both a moral imperative and a practical necessity, because institutions perform better when they represent the societies they serve.

Role of Political Reform and Quotas

Experts say meaningful change requires structural reforms.

Martin Chungong noted that well-designed gender quotas and strong political commitment are critical to accelerating women’s participation in politics.

At the same time, transforming political culture and challenging stereotypes requires cooperation between men and women.

A Critical Moment for Gender Equality

The 70th session of the Commission on the Status of Women represents a key opportunity to address global setbacks in women’s rights.

Experts say that removing structural barriers-such as discriminatory laws, violence against women in politics, and unequal access to resources-will be essential to achieving equal political leadership.

The Future of Democracy and Gender Equality

Although progress has been slow, women around the world continue to push boundaries in political life.

The report concludes that democracy will become stronger, more inclusive, and more resilient when women participate equally in leadership and decision-making.

True gender equality in politics is not only a matter of fairness-it is essential for building societies that can respond effectively to global challenges.