Women hold 27.5 per cent of parliamentary seats worldwide at the start of 2026, according to a new report by the Inter-Parliamentary Union (IPU).
The report, Women in Parliament 2025, released ahead of International Women’s Day, showed that the 0.3 percentage-point increase recorded in 2025 represents the slowest growth in women’s parliamentary representation in nearly a decade.
The report also found a decline in women’s leadership roles within parliaments.
Only 12 of the 75 newly elected Speakers of Parliament in 2025 were women, representing 16 per cent of new appointments.
Overall, women Speakers now account for 19.9 per cent (54 Speakers) globally, down from 23.7 per cent the previous year, according to the IPU.
The IPU noted that gender quota systems remain a key driver of women’s representation.
Among the 49 countries that held elections in 2025, parliaments with quota laws recorded about 31 per cent female representation, compared to 23 per cent in countries without such measures.
Beyond representation, the report raised concerns about violence and intimidation against lawmakers, particularly women.
A separate IPU survey found that 76 per cent of women MPs reported experiencing violence or harassment, compared with 68 per cent of male legislators, both online and offline.
The organisation warned that such trends could discourage women from seeking political office.
The findings reflect broader global gender disparities.
According to the United Nations, women worldwide enjoy only about 64 per cent of the legal rights available to men, limiting opportunities in governance and public life.
In some countries, laws still restrict women’s rights in areas such as property ownership, divorce, and professional autonomy, continuing to hinder progress toward gender equality.
