Indicator 5.5.1 Proportion of seats held by women in (a) national parliaments and (b) local governments

Indicator 5.5.1: Proportion of seats held by women in (a) national parliaments and (b) local governments

Target 5.5: Ensure women’s full and effective participation and equal opportunities for leadership at all levels of decision-making in political, economic and public life

Inter-Parliamentary Union (IPU)

Definition:

The proportion of seats held by women in national parliaments, currently as of 1 January of reporting year, is currently measured as the number of seats held by women members in single or lower chambers of national parliaments, expressed as a percentage of all occupied seats.

National parliaments can be bicameral or unicameral. This indicator covers the single chamber in unicameral parliaments and the lower chamber in bicameral parliaments. It does not cover the upper chamber of bicameral parliaments. Seats are usually won by members in general parliamentary elections. Seats may also be filled by nomination, appointment, indirect election, rotation of members, and by-election.

Seats refer to the number of parliamentary mandates or the number of members of parliament.

Concepts:

Seats refer to the number of parliamentary mandates, also known as the number of members of parliament. Seats are usually won by members in general parliamentary elections. Seats may also be filled by nomination, appointment, indirect election, rotation of members, and by-election.

Number:

Number of seats held by women in national parliaments (number)

Current number of seats in national parliaments (number)

Percent (%):

Proportion of seats held by women in national parliaments (% of total number of seats)

The data used are official statistics received from national parliaments.

National parliaments

- The number of countries covered varies with suspensions or dissolutions of parliaments. As of 1 February 2016, 193 countries are included.

- There can be difficulties in obtaining information on by-election results and replacements due to death or resignation. These changes are ad hoc events that are more difficult to keep track of. By-elections, for instance, are often not announced internationally as general elections are.

- The data excludes the numbers and percentages of women in the upper chambers of parliament. The information is available on the Inter-Parliamentary Union (IPU) website at https://data.ipu.org/women-ranking.

- Parliaments vary considerably in their internal workings and procedures, however, generally legislate, oversee government and represent the electorate. In terms of measuring women’s contribution to political decision-making, this indicator may not be sufficient because some women may face obstacles in fully and efficiently carrying out their parliamentary mandate.

The proportion of seats held by women in the national parliament is derived by dividing the total number of seats occupied by women by the total number of seats in parliament.

There is no weighting or normalising of statistics.

2023-12-15

Inter-Parliamentary Union (IPU)

Indicator 16.7.1: Proportions of positions (by age group, sex, persons with disabilities and population groups) in public institutions (national and local), including (a) the legislatures; (b) the public service; and (c) the judiciary, compared to national distributions.

1 (a) 2 (b)