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A Guinea-Bissau woman shows her inked finger after voting. © Reuters / Joe Penney

Gender equality

We work to increase women’s representation in parliament and empower women MPs.
woman inked finger / © Joseph Penney / Reuters

Many women around the world still lack basic human rights and face discrimination and gender-based violence. The world’s parliaments are no exception. Most parliaments remain male-dominated, and women MPs are often under-represented on decision-making bodies.

The IPU has been tracking and empowering women parliamentarians for decades, convinced of the link between strong democracies and gender equality.

Our work focuses on three main objectives: increasing the number of women in parliament through well-designed quotas and parliamentary caucuses; supporting women in parliament; and transforming parliaments into gender-sensitive institutions that deliver on women’s rights.

To achieve these objectives, the IPU has a wealth of data and tools:

We are the authority on the percentage of women in national parliaments through our monthly ranking of women in parliament, including comparative analyses between countries and annual studies that look at historical trends over decades. 

Every year in March we publish an analysis of women in parliament looking at progress and setbacks following the previous year's parliamentary elections.  

We have published landmark reports on sexism and gender-based violence in parliament, looking at both female MPs and female parliamentary staff. (See the 2016 report on global data, the 2018 report on European parliaments and the 2021 report on African parliaments). We have also published Guidelines for the elimination of sexism, harassment and violence against women in parliament.

Our self-assessment toolkit for gender-sensitive parliaments is an essential reference that has been used by dozens of parliaments around the world. 

We also have databases on women’s parliamentary caucuses  and specialized parliamentary committees on gender equality.

The IPU partners with International IDEA and Stockholm University in running a global database on gender electoral quotas, which provides country-specific data on existing mechanisms to ensure women’s participation in parliaments.

Practising what we preach, we have adopted groundbreaking practices ourselves to ensure gender equality in our assemblies, committees and staff.

27.2%

Gender-equal parliaments

Global percentage of women MPs

Explore gender equality

Women in parliament

While more women than ever are being elected to parliaments around the world, equality is still a long way off, and current progress is far too slow.

Gender-sensitive parliaments

Gender-sensitive parliaments are institutions that are founded on gender equality, where women and men have an equal right to participate without discrimination or recrimination.

Women's rights

Women account for half the world’s population, yet many face discrimination in work, health care and education, or suffer physical and sexual violence.
Latest news and stories on gender equality
40 years of action, 40 women of action

14/04/2025

40 years of action, 40 women of action

tashkent assembly

09/04/2025

Parliamentarians champion social development and justice at Tashkent Assembly

ipu

07/04/2025

IPU marks milestones with gender equality drive in 2025

vaw

25/03/2025

60% of women MPs from Asia-Pacific report online gender-based violence

mexico

17/03/2025

IPU Global Conference of Women Parliamentarians calls for gender parity in parliament

Latest publications on gender equality

Sexism, harassment and violence against women in parliaments in the Asia-Pacific region

Since 2016, the Inter-Parliamentary Union (IPU) has been gathering testimonies from women working in parliaments, shedding light on the persistent hostility they face in the political arena.

Women in Politics: 2025

The IPU-UN Women map, presents global rankings for women in executive and government positions as of 1 January 2025.

Women in parliament 1995-2025

A new IPU report analysing three decades of women in national parliaments reveals that the percentage of seats held by women has risen from 11.3% in 1995 to 27.2% in 2025.

Related events

IPU Global Conference of Women Parliamentarians in 2025

Mar132025
-

Mexico City, Mexico

The Conference will provide an exciting new platform for women members of parliament to get together, exchange experiences, learn from each other, and define common and innovative strategies to advance gender equality and women’s rights and empowerment.

Parliaments and Beijing +30: Resisting backlash and shifting paradigms towards gender equality

Mar112025

New York, United States

Annual IPU – UN Women Parliamentary Meeting at the 69th Session of the Commission on the Status of Women

Social Norms change, Networking and Global Advocacy to Advance Women’s Political Participation and Decision Making

Mar102025

United Nations HQ
New York, United States

IPU Side event at the 69th Session of the Commission on the Status of Women