Share of women in parliament in South Africa
South Africa: Share of women in parliament was 44.9% in 2025. ▲ Rising
Share of women in parliament in South Africa, 1997–2025
Source: Inter-Parliamentary Union (IPU) monthly ranking of women in national parliaments, via World Bank (2026) – processed by Our World in Data. Measured in %.
Analysis
South Africa recorded 44.9% for share of women in parliament in 2025.
The figure is up 0.4% on the previous year and up 6.8% over ten years.
Over the whole period, share of women in parliament in South Africa peaked at 46.8% in 2020 and was at its lowest, 25.0%, in 1997.
That places South Africa 16th out of 193 countries with data for 2025, putting it in the top 10%.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 29 years of available data.
Share of women in parliament in South Africa, year by year
| Year | % | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1997 | 25.0% | — |
| 1998 | 28.8% | +15.0% |
| 1999 | 30.0% | +4.3% |
| 2000 | 29.8% | -0.6% |
| 2001 | 29.8% | +0.0% |
| 2002 | 29.8% | +0.0% |
| 2003 | 29.8% | +0.0% |
| 2004 | 32.8% | +9.9% |
| 2005 | 32.8% | -0.1% |
| 2006 | 32.8% | +0.0% |
| 2007 | 33.0% | +0.8% |
| 2008 | 33.0% | +0.0% |
| 2009 | 44.5% | +34.8% |
| 2010 | 44.5% | +0.0% |
| 2011 | 42.2% | -5.1% |
| 2012 | 42.2% | +0.0% |
| 2013 | 42.2% | +0.0% |
| 2014 | 41.5% | -1.8% |
| 2015 | 42.0% | +1.2% |
| 2016 | 42.0% | +0.0% |
| 2017 | 41.8% | -0.4% |
| 2018 | 42.7% | +2.2% |
| 2019 | 46.3% | +8.4% |
| 2020 | 46.8% | +0.9% |
| 2021 | 46.6% | -0.4% |
| 2022 | 46.5% | -0.2% |
| 2023 | 45.9% | -1.4% |
| 2024 | 44.7% | -2.5% |
| 2025 | 44.9% | +0.4% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1990s | 27.9% | 25.0% | 30.0% | 3 |
| 2000s | 32.8% | 29.8% | 44.5% | 10 |
| 2010s | 42.8% | 41.5% | 46.3% | 10 |
| 2020s | 45.9% | 44.7% | 46.8% | 6 |
Countries ranked near South Africa
More gender data for South Africa
- Child population (UN estimates and projections) 17,151 (2030)
- Child population (UN estimates and projections) (0-14), annual growth 0.6591 % change on previous year (2030)
- Population 51,011 (2030)
- Working-age population (UN estimates and projections) 51,011 (2030)
- Population (UN estimates and projections), annual growth rate 1.07 % change on previous year (2030)
- Age population, age 00, female, interpolated 570,099 (2025)
- Age population, age 00, male, interpolated 589,533 (2025)
- Age population, age 01, female, interpolated 570,599 (2025)
- Age population, age 01, male, interpolated 589,626 (2025)
- Age population, age 02, female, interpolated 569,634 (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is share of women in parliament in South Africa?
- Share of women in parliament in South Africa was 44.9% in 2025, according to Inter-Parliamentary Union (IPU) monthly ranking of women in national parliaments, via World Bank (2026) – processed by Our World in Data.
- What is the highest share of women in parliament recorded in South Africa?
- The highest recorded value was 46.8% in 2020.
- What is the lowest share of women in parliament recorded in South Africa?
- The lowest recorded value was 25.0% in 1997.
- How does South Africa rank for share of women in parliament?
- South Africa ranks 16th out of 193 countries with data for 2025.
- Is share of women in parliament rising or falling in South Africa?
- Over the last ten years it is up 6.8%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this South Africa data come from?
- The figures come from Inter-Parliamentary Union (IPU) monthly ranking of women in national parliaments, via World Bank (2026) – processed by Our World in Data, published as part of Share of women in parliament. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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About this data
Percentage of seats in lower or single chamber of the legislature held by women.