Proportion of seats held by women in national parliaments in Malawi
Malawi: Proportion of seats held by women in national parliaments was 21.4% in 2026. ▲ Rising
Proportion of seats held by women in national parliaments in Malawi, 2000–2026
Source: United Nations Statistics Division, SDG Global Database.
Analysis
Malawi recorded 21.4% for proportion of seats held by women in national parliaments in 2026.
The figure is up 3.4% on the previous year and up 28.6% over ten years.
Over the whole period, proportion of seats held by women in national parliaments in Malawi peaked at 22.9% in 2020 and was at its lowest, 8.3%, in 2000.
That places Malawi 128th out of 210 countries with data for 2026, putting it 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 Malawi, year by year
| Year | Value | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 2000 | 8.3% | — |
| 2001 | 9.3% | +12.5% |
| 2002 | 9.3% | +0.0% |
| 2003 | 9.3% | +0.0% |
| 2004 | 9.3% | +0.0% |
| 2005 | 14.0% | +49.9% |
| 2006 | 13.6% | -2.7% |
| 2007 | 13.6% | +0.0% |
| 2008 | 12.9% | -4.8% |
| 2009 | 12.9% | +0.0% |
| 2010 | 20.8% | +60.8% |
| 2011 | 20.8% | +0.0% |
| 2012 | 22.3% | +7.0% |
| 2013 | 22.3% | +0.0% |
| 2014 | 22.3% | +0.0% |
| 2015 | 16.7% | -25.2% |
| 2016 | 16.7% | +0.0% |
| 2017 | 16.7% | +0.0% |
| 2018 | 16.7% | +0.0% |
| 2019 | 16.7% | +0.0% |
| 2020 | 22.9% | +37.5% |
| 2021 | 22.9% | +0.0% |
| 2022 | 22.9% | +0.0% |
| 2023 | 20.7% | -9.6% |
| 2024 | 20.7% | +0.0% |
| 2025 | 20.7% | +0.0% |
| 2026 | 21.4% | +3.4% |
Malawi compared with similar countries
- Malawi's 21.4% is below the median for low income countries, which is 22.0%, 97% of the median. (23 countries reporting)
- Malawi's 21.4% is below the median for Sub-Saharan Africa, which is 23.0%, 93% of the median. (45 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000s | 11.3% | 8.3% | 14.0% | 10 |
| 2010s | 19.2% | 16.7% | 22.3% | 10 |
| 2020s | 21.8% | 20.7% | 22.9% | 7 |
Countries ranked near Malawi
More gender data for Malawi
- Child population (UN estimates and projections) 9,494 (2030)
- Child population (UN estimates and projections) (0-14), annual growth 1.4 % change on previous year (2030)
- Population 15,667 (2030)
- Working-age population (UN estimates and projections) 15,667 (2030)
- Population (UN estimates and projections), annual growth rate 3.13 % change on previous year (2030)
- Age population, age 00, female, interpolated 330,369 (2025)
- Age population, age 00, male, interpolated 332,767 (2025)
- Age population, age 01, female, interpolated 322,764 (2025)
- Age population, age 01, male, interpolated 324,764 (2025)
- Age population, age 02, female, interpolated 316,113 (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is proportion of seats held by women in national parliaments in Malawi?
- Proportion of seats held by women in national parliaments in Malawi was 21.4% 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 Malawi?
- The highest recorded value was 22.9% in 2020.
- What is the lowest proportion of seats held by women in national parliaments recorded in Malawi?
- The lowest recorded value was 8.3% in 2000.
- How does Malawi rank for proportion of seats held by women in national parliaments?
- Malawi ranks 128th out of 210 countries with data for 2026.
- Is proportion of seats held by women in national parliaments rising or falling in Malawi?
- Over the last ten years it is up 28.6%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this Malawi 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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