Women Lead Only 1 in 7 Countries Worldwide

The Women in Politics 2026 map from IPU and UN Women was launched at an event at CSW70, 11 March 2026.

Women remain significantly underrepresented in global political leadership, with key decisions on governance, security and economic priorities still largely dominated by men.

In 2026, only 28 countries are led by a woman head of state or government, while 101 countries have never had a woman leader, according to the latest data released by the Inter-Parliamentary Union and UN Women.

The findings highlight persistent gender inequality in political power worldwide. Experts say that when women are excluded from leadership positions, decisions affecting peace, development and social policy are made without half of the world’s perspectives.

Slow progress in political representation

The new global data reveal stagnation and, in some cases, regression in women’s representation, particularly in executive government.

Women currently hold 22.4 percent of cabinet minister positions worldwide, down from 23.3 percent in 2024, marking a reversal after years of gradual improvement.

However, 14 countries have achieved gender parity in their cabinets, showing that equal representation is possible. At the same time, eight countries still have no women ministers at all.

Women’s representation in national parliaments has increased only slightly. Women now hold 27.5 percent of parliamentary seats globally, compared with 27.2 percent in 2025.

The increase of just 0.3 percentage points represents the second consecutive year of the slowest growth since 2017, highlighting how slowly women are advancing in political decision-making.

Decline in parliamentary leadership

The data also show a decline in women’s presence in parliamentary leadership roles.

As of January 2026, 54 women serve as Speakers of Parliament globally, accounting for 19.9 percent of all speakers. This marks a decline of nearly four percentage points compared with the previous year and represents the first drop in women speakers in 21 years.

Women in politics also face increasing hostility and intimidation. Surveys indicate that 76 percent of women parliamentarians report experiencing intimidation from the public, both online and offline, compared with 68 percent of male lawmakers.

Analysts say such hostility discourages women from entering politics and slows progress toward equal representation.

Gender stereotypes persist in leadership roles

Even when women reach senior political positions, they are often concentrated in ministries associated with social sectors.

Women currently lead 90 percent of gender-equality ministries and 73 percent of ministries responsible for family and children’s affairs, reinforcing traditional gender stereotypes in political leadership.

Meanwhile, men overwhelmingly dominate portfolios such as defence, home affairs, justice, economic affairs and governance.

Calls for stronger political commitment

Sima Bahous, Executive Director of UN Women, warned that excluding women from leadership weakens societies at a time of growing global instability.

She said women’s participation in decision-making improves governance and strengthens efforts to prevent conflict and build lasting peace.

“When women are fully involved in political leadership, countries become more stable and policies work better for people,” Bahous said.

Tulia Ackson, President of the Inter-Parliamentary Union, said achieving gender parity is both a moral obligation and a practical necessity.

“Institutions make better decisions when they reflect the societies they serve,” she said, adding that the presence of women from diverse backgrounds strengthens public trust in democratic systems.

Martin Chungong, Secretary-General of the IPU, said political quotas and strong political commitment remain essential to accelerating progress toward gender equality in politics.

Barriers still remain

Despite slow progress, women worldwide continue to challenge barriers and expand their presence in public life.

Experts say eliminating structural obstacles such as discriminatory laws, violence against women in politics and unequal access to financial resources will be essential for ensuring equal representation.

They also stress the importance of addressing negative social norms that discourage women from participating in political leadership.

The 70th session of the Commission on the Status of Women, scheduled to conclude on March 19, is expected to provide a key platform for governments and global leaders to address the rollback of women’s rights and advance gender equality.

Analysts say the future of democracy will depend on ensuring that women are equally represented in decision-making at all levels of government.