Proportion of seats held by women in national parliaments in Zambia
Zambia: Proportion of seats held by women in national parliaments was 15.0% in 2026. ▲ Rising
Latest (2026)
15.0%
Change on year
unchanged
World rank
162nd
of 210 countries
All-time high
18.0%
in 2017
All-time low
10.1%
in 2000
Years of data
27
2000–2026
Proportion of seats held by women in national parliaments in Zambia, 2000–2026
Source: United Nations Statistics Division, SDG Global Database.
Analysis
In 2026, proportion of seats held by women in national parliaments in Zambia stood at 15.0%.
Compared with earlier readings it is up 18.2% over ten years.
Over the whole period, proportion of seats held by women in national parliaments in Zambia peaked at 18.0% in 2017 and was at its lowest, 10.1%, in 2000.
Zambia ranks 162nd of 210 countries 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 Zambia, year by year
| Year | Value | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 2000 | 10.1% | — |
| 2001 | 10.1% | +0.0% |
| 2002 | 12.0% | +18.8% |
| 2003 | 12.0% | +0.0% |
| 2004 | 12.0% | +0.0% |
| 2005 | 12.0% | +0.0% |
| 2006 | 12.7% | +5.2% |
| 2007 | 14.7% | +15.7% |
| 2008 | 15.2% | +3.7% |
| 2009 | 15.2% | +0.0% |
| 2010 | 14.0% | -7.8% |
| 2011 | 14.0% | +0.0% |
| 2012 | 11.5% | -18.1% |
| 2013 | 11.5% | +0.0% |
| 2014 | 10.8% | -6.2% |
| 2015 | 12.7% | +17.7% |
| 2016 | 12.7% | +0.0% |
| 2017 | 18.0% | +41.9% |
| 2018 | 18.0% | +0.0% |
| 2019 | 18.0% | +0.0% |
| 2020 | 16.8% | -6.6% |
| 2021 | 16.8% | +0.0% |
| 2022 | 15.1% | -10.2% |
| 2023 | 15.0% | -0.6% |
| 2024 | 15.0% | +0.0% |
| 2025 | 15.0% | +0.0% |
| 2026 | 15.0% | +0.0% |
Zambia compared with similar countries
- Zambia's 15.0% is below the median for lower middle income countries, which is 21.7%, 69% of the median. (43 countries reporting)
- Zambia's 15.0% is below the median for Sub-Saharan Africa, which is 23.0%, 65% of the median. (45 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000s | 12.6% | 10.1% | 15.2% | 10 |
| 2010s | 14.1% | 10.8% | 18.0% | 10 |
| 2020s | 15.5% | 15.0% | 16.8% | 7 |
Countries ranked near Zambia
More gender data for Zambia
- Child population (UN estimates and projections) 9,719 (2030)
- Child population (UN estimates and projections) (0-14), annual growth 1.61 % change on previous year (2030)
- Population 15,306 (2030)
- Working-age population (UN estimates and projections) 15,306 (2030)
- Population (UN estimates and projections), annual growth rate 3.24 % change on previous year (2030)
- Age population, age 00, female, interpolated 340,219 (2025)
- Age population, age 00, male, interpolated 341,639 (2025)
- Age population, age 01, female, interpolated 331,557 (2025)
- Age population, age 01, male, interpolated 332,331 (2025)
- Age population, age 02, female, interpolated 324,712 (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is proportion of seats held by women in national parliaments in Zambia?
- Proportion of seats held by women in national parliaments in Zambia was 15.0% 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 Zambia?
- The highest recorded value was 18.0% in 2017.
- What is the lowest proportion of seats held by women in national parliaments recorded in Zambia?
- The lowest recorded value was 10.1% in 2000.
- How does Zambia rank for proportion of seats held by women in national parliaments?
- Zambia ranks 162nd out of 210 countries with data for 2026.
- Is proportion of seats held by women in national parliaments rising or falling in Zambia?
- Over the last ten years it is up 18.2%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this Zambia 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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