Proportion of seats held by women in national parliaments in Southern Asia
Southern Asia: Proportion of seats held by women in national parliaments was 12.3% in 2026. ▲ Rising
Proportion of seats held by women in national parliaments in Southern Asia, 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 Southern Asia is 12.3%, measured in 2026.
That represents a change of down 15.8% on the previous year and down 30.2% over ten years.
Over the whole period, proportion of seats held by women in national parliaments in Southern Asia peaked at 18.5% in 2013 and was at its lowest, 5.7%, in 2002.
Southern Asia ranks 41st 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.
Proportion of seats held by women in national parliaments in Southern Asia, year by year
| Year | Value | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 2000 | 6.8% | — |
| 2001 | 5.8% | -15.2% |
| 2002 | 5.7% | -1.0% |
| 2003 | 8.8% | +53.1% |
| 2004 | 8.8% | +0.0% |
| 2005 | 8.8% | +0.0% |
| 2006 | 12.8% | +45.1% |
| 2007 | 12.7% | -0.7% |
| 2008 | 12.9% | +2.0% |
| 2009 | 16.7% | +29.7% |
| 2010 | 18.2% | +8.7% |
| 2011 | 18.2% | +0.0% |
| 2012 | 18.5% | +1.4% |
| 2013 | 18.5% | +0.2% |
| 2014 | 16.0% | -13.5% |
| 2015 | 17.6% | +10.3% |
| 2016 | 17.7% | +0.2% |
| 2017 | 18.0% | +1.6% |
| 2018 | 13.9% | -22.5% |
| 2019 | 15.8% | +13.4% |
| 2020 | 17.3% | +9.8% |
| 2021 | 17.4% | +0.1% |
| 2022 | 17.6% | +1.5% |
| 2023 | 16.5% | -6.1% |
| 2024 | 16.5% | -0.4% |
| 2025 | 14.7% | -11.0% |
| 2026 | 12.3% | -15.8% |
Biggest year-on-year movements
Years where Proportion of seats held by women in national parliaments in Southern Asia 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 | +53.1% | 5.7% | 8.8% |
| 2006 | +45.1% | 8.8% | 12.8% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000s | 10.0% | 5.7% | 16.7% | 10 |
| 2010s | 17.2% | 13.9% | 18.5% | 10 |
| 2020s | 16.0% | 12.3% | 17.6% | 7 |
Countries ranked near Southern Asia
- 38 Uzbekistan 39.2% compare
- 39 North Macedonia 39.2% compare
- 40 Mozambique 38.0% compare
- 41 Slovenia 37.8% compare
- 42 Serbia 37.6% compare
- 42 United Republic of Tanzania 37.6% compare
- 44 Dominican Republic 37.4% compare
More gender data for Southern Asia
- Child population (UN estimates and projections) 536,648 (2030)
- Child population (UN estimates and projections) (0-14), annual growth -0.2956 % change on previous year (2030)
- Population 1.65 million (2030)
- Working-age population (UN estimates and projections) 1.65 million (2030)
- Population (UN estimates and projections), annual growth rate 1.35 % change on previous year (2030)
- Inactivity rate (ILO modelled estimates) 45.73 (2027)
- SDG indicator 1.1.1: Working poverty rate 5.31 (2025)
- SDG indicator 5.5.2: Proportion of women in managerial positions 10.43 (2025)
- Number of seats held by women in national parliaments 188 (2026)
- Proportion of women aged 15-49 years with anaemia 49.3% (2023)
Frequently asked questions
- What is proportion of seats held by women in national parliaments in Southern Asia?
- Proportion of seats held by women in national parliaments in Southern Asia was 12.3% 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 Southern Asia?
- The highest recorded value was 18.5% in 2013.
- What is the lowest proportion of seats held by women in national parliaments recorded in Southern Asia?
- The lowest recorded value was 5.7% in 2002.
- How does Southern Asia rank for proportion of seats held by women in national parliaments?
- Southern Asia ranks 41st out of 42 groups with data for 2026.
- Is proportion of seats held by women in national parliaments rising or falling in Southern Asia?
- Over the last ten years it is down 30.2%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this Southern Asia 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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