Proportion of seats held by women in national parliaments in Eastern Africa
Eastern Africa: Proportion of seats held by women in national parliaments was 31.1% in 2026. ▲ Rising
Proportion of seats held by women in national parliaments in Eastern Africa, 2000–2026
Source: United Nations Statistics Division, SDG Global Database.
Analysis
The most recent figure for proportion of seats held by women in national parliaments in Eastern Africa is 31.1%, measured in 2026.
Compared with earlier readings it is down 0.4% on the previous year and up 7.6% over ten years.
Over the whole period, proportion of seats held by women in national parliaments in Eastern Africa peaked at 31.6% in 2022 and was at its lowest, 11.9%, in 2000.
Eastern Africa ranks 13th of 42 groups on this measure, in the middle of the range.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 27 years of available data.
Proportion of seats held by women in national parliaments in Eastern Africa, year by year
| Year | Value | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 2000 | 11.9% | — |
| 2001 | 13.3% | +12.3% |
| 2002 | 14.6% | +9.5% |
| 2003 | 15.3% | +4.6% |
| 2004 | 15.9% | +4.1% |
| 2005 | 16.6% | +4.3% |
| 2006 | 20.2% | +21.6% |
| 2007 | 21.1% | +4.5% |
| 2008 | 21.5% | +1.8% |
| 2009 | 22.8% | +6.2% |
| 2010 | 21.6% | -5.3% |
| 2011 | 22.4% | +3.8% |
| 2012 | 23.5% | +4.8% |
| 2013 | 25.2% | +7.2% |
| 2014 | 27.3% | +8.7% |
| 2015 | 27.2% | -0.5% |
| 2016 | 28.9% | +6.1% |
| 2017 | 29.7% | +2.9% |
| 2018 | 30.0% | +1.0% |
| 2019 | 30.2% | +0.8% |
| 2020 | 30.9% | +2.3% |
| 2021 | 31.2% | +1.0% |
| 2022 | 31.6% | +1.3% |
| 2023 | 31.5% | -0.6% |
| 2024 | 31.4% | -0.3% |
| 2025 | 31.2% | -0.6% |
| 2026 | 31.1% | -0.4% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000s | 17.3% | 11.9% | 22.8% | 10 |
| 2010s | 26.6% | 21.6% | 30.2% | 10 |
| 2020s | 31.3% | 30.9% | 31.6% | 7 |
Countries ranked near Eastern Africa
- 10 Australia 46.0% compare
- 11 Cabo Verde 45.8% compare
- 11 Monaco 45.8% compare
- 13 Australia and New Zealand 45.8% compare
- 14 New Zealand 45.5% compare
- 15 Finland 45.5% compare
- 16 South Africa 44.8% compare
More gender data for Eastern Africa
- Child population (UN estimates and projections) 223,115 (2030)
- Child population (UN estimates and projections) (0-14), annual growth 1.53 % change on previous year (2030)
- Population 354,594 (2030)
- Working-age population (UN estimates and projections) 354,594 (2030)
- Population (UN estimates and projections), annual growth rate 2.89 % change on previous year (2030)
- Inactivity rate (ILO modelled estimates) 28.38 (2027)
- SDG indicator 1.1.1: Working poverty rate 47.52 (2025)
- SDG indicator 5.5.2: Proportion of women in managerial positions 45.43 (2025)
- Number of seats held by women in national parliaments 1,265 (2026)
- Proportion of women aged 15-49 years with anaemia 31.4% (2023)
Frequently asked questions
- What is proportion of seats held by women in national parliaments in Eastern Africa?
- Proportion of seats held by women in national parliaments in Eastern Africa was 31.1% in 2026, according to United Nations Statistics Division, SDG Global Database.
- What is the highest proportion of seats held by women in national parliaments recorded in Eastern Africa?
- The highest recorded value was 31.6% in 2022.
- What is the lowest proportion of seats held by women in national parliaments recorded in Eastern Africa?
- The lowest recorded value was 11.9% in 2000.
- How does Eastern Africa rank for proportion of seats held by women in national parliaments?
- Eastern Africa ranks 13th out of 42 groups with data for 2026.
- Is proportion of seats held by women in national parliaments rising or falling in Eastern Africa?
- Over the last ten years it is up 7.6%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this Eastern Africa data come from?
- The figures come from United Nations Statistics Division, SDG Global Database, published as part of Proportion of seats held by women in national parliaments (% of total number of seats). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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