Number of seats held by women in national parliaments in Southern Africa
Southern Africa: Number of seats held by women in national parliaments was 274 in 2026. ▲ Rising
Number of seats held by women in national parliaments in Southern Africa, 2000–2026
Source: United Nations Statistics Division, SDG Global Database.
Analysis
The most recent figure for number of seats held by women in national parliaments in Southern Africa is 274, measured in 2026.
The figure is up 3.4% on the previous year and up 9.2% over ten years.
Over the whole period, number of seats held by women in national parliaments in Southern Africa peaked at 282 in 2024 and was at its lowest, 149, in 2000.
Southern Africa ranks 35th of 42 groups on this measure, in the bottom quarter.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 27 years of available data.
Number of seats held by women in national parliaments in Southern Africa, year by year
| Year | Value | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 2000 | 149 | — |
| 2001 | 150 | +0.7% |
| 2002 | 150 | +0.0% |
| 2003 | 162 | +8.0% |
| 2004 | 167 | +3.1% |
| 2005 | 177 | +6.0% |
| 2006 | 180 | +1.7% |
| 2007 | 180 | +0.0% |
| 2008 | 197 | +9.4% |
| 2009 | 199 | +1.0% |
| 2010 | 239 | +20.1% |
| 2011 | 240 | +0.4% |
| 2012 | 231 | -3.8% |
| 2013 | 234 | +1.3% |
| 2014 | 241 | +3.0% |
| 2015 | 251 | +4.1% |
| 2016 | 251 | +0.0% |
| 2017 | 250 | -0.4% |
| 2018 | 252 | +0.8% |
| 2019 | 255 | +1.2% |
| 2020 | 267 | +4.7% |
| 2021 | 270 | +1.1% |
| 2022 | 275 | +1.9% |
| 2023 | 281 | +2.2% |
| 2024 | 282 | +0.4% |
| 2025 | 265 | -6.0% |
| 2026 | 274 | +3.4% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000s | 171.1 | 149 | 199 | 10 |
| 2010s | 244.4 | 231 | 255 | 10 |
| 2020s | 273.43 | 265 | 282 | 7 |
Countries ranked near Southern Africa
- 32 Mozambique 95 compare
- 33 Serbia 94 compare
- 34 Nepal 92 compare
- 35 Angola 91 compare
- 35 Finland 91 compare
- 37 Philippines 90 compare
- 38 Venezuela (Bolivarian Republic of) 89 compare
More gender data for Southern Africa
- Child population (UN estimates and projections) 20,374 (2030)
- Child population (UN estimates and projections) (0-14), annual growth 0.5706 % change on previous year (2030)
- Population 57,758 (2030)
- Working-age population (UN estimates and projections) 57,758 (2030)
- Population (UN estimates and projections), annual growth rate 1.19 % change on previous year (2030)
- Inactivity rate (ILO modelled estimates) 43.89 (2027)
- SDG indicator 1.1.1: Working poverty rate 15.28 (2025)
- SDG indicator 5.5.2: Proportion of women in managerial positions 36.91 (2025)
- Proportion of seats held by women in national parliaments 35.8% (2026)
- Proportion of women aged 15-49 years with anaemia 31.0% (2023)
Frequently asked questions
- What is number of seats held by women in national parliaments in Southern Africa?
- Number of seats held by women in national parliaments in Southern Africa was 274 in 2026, according to United Nations Statistics Division, SDG Global Database.
- What is the highest number of seats held by women in national parliaments recorded in Southern Africa?
- The highest recorded value was 282 in 2024.
- What is the lowest number of seats held by women in national parliaments recorded in Southern Africa?
- The lowest recorded value was 149 in 2000.
- How does Southern Africa rank for number of seats held by women in national parliaments?
- Southern Africa ranks 35th out of 42 groups with data for 2026.
- Is number of seats held by women in national parliaments rising or falling in Southern Africa?
- Over the last ten years it is up 9.2%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this Southern Africa data come from?
- The figures come from United Nations Statistics Division, SDG Global Database, published as part of Number of seats held by women in national parliaments (number). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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