A macro perspective of the role of gender equality in the 2030 global political agenda of the United Nations

As of October 2019, the global participation rate of women in national-level parliaments is 24.5%. In 2013, women accounted for 8% of all national leaders and 2% of all presidential posts. Furthermore, 75% of all female prime ministers and presidents have taken office in the past two decades.

Facts and Figures

22 Heads of Government

Women serve as Heads of State or Government in only 22 countries, and 119 countries have never had a woman leader [1]. At the current rate, gender equality in the highest positions of power will not be reached for another 130 years [2].

10 Heads of State

Just 10 countries have a woman Head of State, and 13 countries have a woman Head of Government [3].

21% of Government Ministers

Only 21 per cent of government ministers were women, with only 14 countries having achieved 50 per cent or more women in cabinets [4]. With an annual increase of just 0.52 percentage points, gender parity in ministerial positions will not be achieved before 2077 [5].

25% of National Parliamentarians

Only 25 per cent of all national parliamentarians are women, up from 11 per cent in 1995 [7].

Gender parity in national legislative bodies by 2063

At the current rate of progress, gender parity in national legislative bodies will not be achieved before 2063 [12].

From the local to the global level, women’s leadership and political participation are restricted. Women are underrepresented as voters, as well as in leading positions, whether in elected office, the civil service, the private sector or academia. This occurs despite their proven abilities as leaders and agents of change, and their right to participate equally in democratic governance.

Women face several obstacles to participating in political life. Structural barriers through discriminatory laws and institutions still limit women’s options to run for office. Capacity gaps mean women are less likely than men to have the education, contacts and resources needed to become effective leaders.

Women in politics in the EU State of play in power structures.

Exactly one hundred years after women won the vote or were first elected to parliament in some EU countries, the data show that women continue to be under-represented in politics and public life, in the European Parliament, national parliaments and governments, and local assemblies. The arguments for gender balance in politics are numerous, and benefit not only women and female politicians, but also parties themselves and the rest of society. After all, women form half the population and need to be better represented in power structures. However, there is now solid evidence both of obstacles and of the strategies that are effective when it comes to increasing women's participation and representation. Here, political parties and the media can be both barriers and important enablers.

Less than representative democracy

The EU is a long way from achieving equal gender representation in politics. The average share of women in parliaments is a paltry 32%, albeit an improvement on 24% a decade ago. That may compare favorably with the global average of 24%, but some European countries, particularly in the east, are lagging far behind. In Hungary only 13% of parliamentarians are women.

In the run-up to the European elections in May 2019, new mandates in the Commission and European Council, and the end of the EU's current strategy for gender equality, there is a particular focus on how a better gender balance (at least 40 %) or gender parity (50 %), could be achieved in the next Parliament and for other high-level posts in the EU institutions, and how the EU and its Member States can move towards true parity democracy.

The EU has committed to achieving a gender balance in political representation and participation as a matter of justice, equality and democracy. Concrete recommendations have been made for achieving this goal, including specific action that could be taken by the EU institutions, national governments, political parties, civil society and the media.

EU Gender Gap in Political Representation

In 2019, several EU countries are marking the centenary of women winning the right to vote in national elections (Luxembourg, the Netherlands),1 or the first women being elected to their national parliaments (Luxembourg, Austria) or holding a ministerial position (Ireland). Yet, one hundred years on, Europe-wide data show that women are still under-represented in political decision-making at local, national and European levels.

The latest figures on gender balance in the European Parliament show that the percentage of women Members of the European Parliament (MEPs) has risen slightly since the 2014 elections and now stands at 36.1 %.

The composition of the European Commission has also yet to achieve gender parity. Nine of the current 28 Commissioners are women.

The situation at national, regional and local and regional levels shows similar levels of gender inequality, with on average 33.3 % of women in regional assemblies in the EU.

Appointments to ministerial portfolios and parliament committees.

EIGE data found significant gender differences in the portfolios held by senior ministers in national governments. Men were most often assigned high profile portfolios such as foreign and internal affairs, defense and justice (42.5 % vs 33.1 %), and finance and industry (24 % vs 15.1 %), while women were more likely to be given socio-cultural portfolios such as health, education or social affairs (43.2 % vs 19.9 %).

In the European Parliament, women currently chair 12 of the 22 standing committees.

Including the committees on budgetary control, the internal market, security and defence and constitutional affairs. At the start of the current term, women were fractionally less likely than men to be assigned to the committee they preferred.

Public opinion

As regards the question of whether gender equality in politics has been achieved, 51 % of respondents think it has been achieved, more than at work (48 %) or in leadership positions in companies and other organizations (44 %). However, there is again a significant gap between men and women. Among men, 57 % think that gender equality has been achieved in politics, and among women, only 45 % agree.