Women in National parliaments
Situation as of 1st November 2015


Comparative data by country The data in the tables below has been compiled by the Inter-Parliamentary Union on the basis of information provided by National Parliaments by 1st November 2015. The percentages do not take into account the case of parliaments for which no data was available at that date. Comparative data on the percentage of women in each National Parliament as well as data concerning the two regional parliamentary assemblies elected by direct suffrage can be found on separate pages. You can use the PARLINE database to view detailed results of parliamentary elections by country. Regional parliamentary assemblies
New: you can now consult an archive of statistical data on women in National Parliaments.


World average
Both Houses combined
Total MPs 45'009
Gender breakdown known for 44'522
Men 34'449
Women 10'073
Percentage of women 22.6%


Single House or lower House
Total MPs 38'193
Gender breakdown known for 37'778
Men 29'144
Women 8'634
Percentage of women 22.9%
Upper House or Senate
Total MPs 6'816
Gender breakdown known for 6'744
Men 5'305
Women 1'439
Percentage of women 21.3%

Regional averages
Regions are classified by descending order of the percentage of women in the lower or single House
Single House
or lower House
Upper House
or Senate
Both Houses
combined
Nordic countries 41.1% --- ---
Americas 27.4% 25.7% 27.2%
Europe - OSCE member countries
including Nordic countries
25.9% 24.3% 25.5%
Europe - OSCE member countries
excluding Nordic countries
24.4% 24.3% 24.4%

Sub-Saharan Africa

23.4% 22.0%

23.2%

Arab States 19.0% 12.3% 17.9%
Asia 19.0% 13.2% 18.4%
Pacific 13.1% 36.0% 15.7%

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