Proportion of seats held by women in national parliaments in Northern Africa
Northern Africa: Proportion of seats held by women in national parliaments was 19.8% in 2026. ▲ Rising
Proportion of seats held by women in national parliaments in Northern 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 Northern Africa is 19.8%, measured in 2026.
The figure is down 1.4% on the previous year and down 14.8% over ten years.
Over the whole period, proportion of seats held by women in national parliaments in Northern Africa peaked at 24.6% in 2015 and was at its lowest, 5.4%, in 2000.
That places Northern Africa 36th out of 42 groups with data for 2026, putting it in the bottom quarter.
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 Northern Africa, year by year
| Year | Value | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 2000 | 5.4% | — |
| 2001 | 5.5% | +1.5% |
| 2002 | 5.7% | +3.1% |
| 2003 | 9.2% | +61.0% |
| 2004 | 9.2% | +0.0% |
| 2005 | 10.8% | +18.4% |
| 2006 | 9.7% | -11.1% |
| 2007 | 12.0% | +24.0% |
| 2008 | 12.3% | +2.7% |
| 2009 | 12.3% | +0.0% |
| 2010 | 13.2% | +7.5% |
| 2011 | 14.8% | +12.2% |
| 2012 | 15.3% | +3.2% |
| 2013 | 24.0% | +57.0% |
| 2014 | 24.1% | +0.5% |
| 2015 | 24.6% | +1.8% |
| 2016 | 23.2% | -5.6% |
| 2017 | 23.8% | +2.7% |
| 2018 | 22.6% | -5.0% |
| 2019 | 22.7% | +0.1% |
| 2020 | 20.1% | -11.2% |
| 2021 | 24.3% | +20.6% |
| 2022 | 21.2% | -12.8% |
| 2023 | 20.4% | -3.6% |
| 2024 | 20.0% | -1.8% |
| 2025 | 20.1% | +0.1% |
| 2026 | 19.8% | -1.4% |
Biggest year-on-year movements
Years where Proportion of seats held by women in national parliaments in Northern Africa changed far more than this series normally does. A large move can be a real event or a change in how the figure was measured — the source note below says who published it.
| Year | Change | From | To |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2003 | +61.0% | 5.7% | 9.2% |
| 2013 | +57.0% | 15.3% | 24.0% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000s | 9.2% | 5.4% | 12.3% | 10 |
| 2010s | 20.8% | 13.2% | 24.6% | 10 |
| 2020s | 20.8% | 19.8% | 24.3% | 7 |
Countries ranked near Northern Africa
- 33 Switzerland 39.7% compare
- 34 Burundi 39.6% compare
- 35 Republic of Moldova 39.6% compare
- 35 Moldova 39.6% compare
- 37 Armenia 39.2% compare
- 38 Uzbekistan 39.2% compare
- 39 North Macedonia 39.2% compare
More gender data for Northern Africa
- Child population (UN estimates and projections) 86,725 (2030)
- Child population (UN estimates and projections) (0-14), annual growth -0.3366 % change on previous year (2030)
- Population 210,255 (2030)
- Working-age population (UN estimates and projections) 210,255 (2030)
- Population (UN estimates and projections), annual growth rate 2.07 % change on previous year (2030)
- Inactivity rate (ILO modelled estimates) 57.34 (2027)
- SDG indicator 1.1.1: Working poverty rate 5.09 (2025)
- SDG indicator 5.5.2: Proportion of women in managerial positions 18.11 (2025)
- Number of seats held by women in national parliaments 340 (2026)
- Proportion of women aged 15-49 years with anaemia 32.0% (2023)
Frequently asked questions
- What is proportion of seats held by women in national parliaments in Northern Africa?
- Proportion of seats held by women in national parliaments in Northern Africa was 19.8% 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 Northern Africa?
- The highest recorded value was 24.6% in 2015.
- What is the lowest proportion of seats held by women in national parliaments recorded in Northern Africa?
- The lowest recorded value was 5.4% in 2000.
- How does Northern Africa rank for proportion of seats held by women in national parliaments?
- Northern Africa ranks 36th out of 42 groups with data for 2026.
- Is proportion of seats held by women in national parliaments rising or falling in Northern Africa?
- Over the last ten years it is down 14.8%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this Northern 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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