Proportion of women in ministerial level positions in OECD members
OECD members: Proportion of women in ministerial level positions was 36.1% in 2025. ▲ Rising
Proportion of women in ministerial level positions in OECD members, 2005–2025
Source: Inter-Parliamentary Union. United Nations Entity for Gender Equality and the Empowerment of Women (UN Women). Women in Politics. Measured in %.
Analysis
OECD members recorded 36.1% for proportion of women in ministerial level positions in 2025.
Compared with earlier readings it is up 1.3% on the previous year and up 25.3% over ten years.
Over the whole period, proportion of women in ministerial level positions in OECD members peaked at 36.8% in 2022 and was at its lowest, 20.6%, in 2005.
OECD members ranks 2nd of 47 groups on this measure, in the top 10%.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 14 years of available data.
Proportion of women in ministerial level positions in OECD members, year by year
| Year | % | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 2005 | 20.6% | — |
| 2008 | 25.8% | +25.0% |
| 2010 | 27.1% | +5.2% |
| 2012 | 24.3% | -10.2% |
| 2014 | 27.0% | +11.2% |
| 2015 | 28.8% | +6.4% |
| 2016 | 28.8% | +0.2% |
| 2018 | 32.8% | +13.8% |
| 2019 | 33.7% | +2.8% |
| 2020 | 34.8% | +3.1% |
| 2022 | 36.8% | +5.8% |
| 2023 | 36.3% | -1.2% |
| 2024 | 35.6% | -2.0% |
| 2025 | 36.1% | +1.3% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000s | 23.2% | 20.6% | 25.8% | 2 |
| 2010s | 28.9% | 24.3% | 33.7% | 7 |
| 2020s | 35.9% | 34.8% | 36.8% | 5 |
Countries ranked near OECD members
More gender data for OECD members
- Labor force, female 318.09 million (2025)
- Labor force, female, per capita 0.2268 units per person (2025)
- Labor force, female, per unit of GDP 0 units per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Labor force, female, annual growth rate 0.4583 % change on previous year (2025)
- Labor force, female, per square kilometre 8.86 units per square kilometre (2023)
- Ratio of female to male youth unemployment rate (% ages 15-24) 102.5% (2025)
- School life expectancy, primary to tertiary, female 16.63 years (2019)
- School life expectancy, primary to tertiary, male 16.02 years (2019)
- Own-account workers, female (% of female employment) 8.1% (2015)
- Own-account workers, male (% of male employment) 12.3% (2015)
Frequently asked questions
- What is proportion of women in ministerial level positions in OECD members?
- Proportion of women in ministerial level positions in OECD members was 36.1% in 2025, according to Inter-Parliamentary Union. United Nations Entity for Gender Equality and the Empowerment of Women (UN Women). Women in Politics.
- What is the highest proportion of women in ministerial level positions recorded in OECD members?
- The highest recorded value was 36.8% in 2022.
- What is the lowest proportion of women in ministerial level positions recorded in OECD members?
- The lowest recorded value was 20.6% in 2005.
- How does OECD members rank for proportion of women in ministerial level positions?
- OECD members ranks 2nd out of 47 groups with data for 2025.
- Is proportion of women in ministerial level positions rising or falling in OECD members?
- Over the last ten years it is up 25.3%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this OECD members data come from?
- The figures come from Inter-Parliamentary Union. United Nations Entity for Gender Equality and the Empowerment of Women (UN Women). Women in Politics, published as part of Proportion of women in ministerial level positions (%). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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About this data
Women in ministerial level positions is the proportion of women in ministerial or equivalent positions (including deputy prime ministers) in the government. Prime Ministers/Heads of Government are included when they hold ministerial portfolios. Vice-Presidents and heads of governmental or public agencies are excluded.