Women in Parliament 2025: Progress, Quotas & Rising Violence Against Female MPs | UN News
Slowest Growth in a Decade: Women’s Representation in Parliament Stalls
Global progress toward gender parity in national legislatures has slowed to a crawl, with women holding just 27.5% of parliamentary seats worldwide as of the start of 2026 – a mere 0.3% increase from the previous year. This marks the slowest growth rate in nearly a decade, according to a modern report from the Inter-Parliamentary Union (IPU), released ahead of International Women’s Day on March 8th. The findings underscore persistent challenges to women’s political participation and leadership, even as some nations demonstrate notable gains.
Confirmed vs. Unclear: A Mixed Picture
The IPU’s Women in Parliament 2025 report paints a complex picture. While overall representation inches upward, a concerning trend emerged in parliamentary leadership: women secured only 12 out of 75 newly appointed speakerships. This dip in leadership roles highlights a potential barrier to women’s influence within legislative bodies. The report likewise confirmed that quotas, or legislated gender quotas, continue to be a significant driver of progress. Chambers with some form of quota system in place achieved an average of 31% women’s representation, compared to 23% in chambers without such measures.
However, details regarding the specific types of quota systems employed (e.g., reserved seats, party list quotas) and their effectiveness across different political contexts were not provided in the report. It remains unclear whether certain quota designs are more successful than others in promoting sustained representation.
Regional Disparities: The Americas Lead, Middle East Lags
Significant regional variations persist. The Americas continue to lead in women’s parliamentary representation, with women accounting for 35.6% of all parliamentarians. This contrasts sharply with the Middle East and North Africa, where women hold an average of only 16.2% of seats. Three countries – Oman, Tuvalu, and Yemen – currently have no women MPs in their lower or single chambers. Kyrgyzstan and Saint Vincent and the Grenadines saw the most substantial increases in women’s representation, with gains of 12.9% and 12.3% respectively. The specific factors driving these increases in these two nations were not detailed in the report.
The Rising Tide of Political Violence Against Women
Alongside the stagnation in representation, the report reveals a disturbing trend: a surge in public intimidation and violence targeting women MPs. A recent IPU report on political violence found that 76% of women parliamentarians surveyed experienced some form of intimidation, compared to 68% of their male counterparts. This violence takes both online and offline forms, and officials fear it may deter women from seeking office, further hindering progress. Valentina Grippo, an Italian MP with the European Delegation to the IPU, described the current climate, stating, “If you say something that is not perfectly in line with what your audience wants to hear, then you have multiple attacks.”
How Quotas Operate: A Closer Look
The IPU report underscores the importance of quotas in boosting women’s representation. But how do these systems actually work? Generally, gender quotas aim to address systemic barriers that prevent women from entering politics. They can take various forms. Reserved seats guarantee a specific number of seats for women in parliament. Party list quotas require political parties to include a certain percentage of women on their candidate lists. Zonal quotas divide electoral districts into zones, with each zone required to elect a certain number of women. The effectiveness of each approach depends on the specific political and social context. For example, a quota may be less effective in a country with deeply entrenched patriarchal norms or weak enforcement mechanisms. International IDEA provides a comprehensive overview of different quota systems and their impact.
What Happens Next: International Women’s Day and Beyond
The release of the IPU report coincides with International Women’s Day (March 8th), serving as a stark reminder of the work that remains to be done. The UN and other international organizations are using the occasion to advocate for increased women’s political participation and to highlight the importance of addressing the violence and intimidation faced by women MPs. Looking ahead, the IPU plans to continue monitoring global trends in women’s representation and to provide support to countries seeking to implement effective quota systems. The Colombian Parliament recently passed a law to prevent and punish violence against women in politics, a step that could serve as a model for other nations. However, sustained progress will require a concerted effort from governments, political parties, and civil society organizations to create a more inclusive and equitable political landscape.
Numbers That Matter
- 27.5%: Percentage of parliamentary seats held by women worldwide (as of early 2026).
- 0.3%: Increase in women’s parliamentary representation from 2025 – the slowest growth in nearly a decade.
- 12/75: Ratio of women appointed as parliamentary speakers.
- 31%: Average women’s representation in chambers with quota systems.
- 23%: Average women’s representation in chambers without quota systems.
- 76%: Percentage of women MPs who have experienced intimidation.