Share of women in parliament in Zambia
Zambia: Share of women in parliament was 15.0% in 2025. ▲ Rising
Share of women in parliament in Zambia, 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
The most recent figure for share of women in parliament in Zambia is 15.0%, measured in 2025.
The figure is up 18.3% over ten years.
Over the whole period, share of women in parliament in Zambia peaked at 18.0% in 2016 and was at its lowest, 9.7%, in 1997.
That places Zambia 150th out of 193 countries with data for 2025, putting it in the bottom quarter.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 29 years of available data.
Share of women in parliament in Zambia, year by year
| Year | % | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1997 | 9.7% | — |
| 1998 | 10.3% | +6.0% |
| 1999 | 10.1% | -1.3% |
| 2000 | 10.1% | +0.0% |
| 2001 | 10.1% | +0.0% |
| 2002 | 12.0% | +18.7% |
| 2003 | 12.0% | +0.0% |
| 2004 | 12.0% | +0.0% |
| 2005 | 12.7% | +5.3% |
| 2006 | 14.6% | +15.7% |
| 2007 | 15.2% | +3.7% |
| 2008 | 15.2% | +0.0% |
| 2009 | 14.0% | -7.7% |
| 2010 | 14.0% | +0.0% |
| 2011 | 11.5% | -18.2% |
| 2012 | 11.5% | +0.0% |
| 2013 | 11.5% | +0.0% |
| 2014 | 10.8% | -6.2% |
| 2015 | 12.7% | +17.6% |
| 2016 | 18.0% | +41.9% |
| 2017 | 18.0% | +0.0% |
| 2018 | 18.0% | +0.0% |
| 2019 | 18.0% | +0.0% |
| 2020 | 16.8% | -6.7% |
| 2021 | 15.1% | -10.2% |
| 2022 | 15.1% | +0.0% |
| 2023 | 15.0% | -0.6% |
| 2024 | 15.0% | +0.0% |
| 2025 | 15.0% | +0.0% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1990s | 10.0% | 9.7% | 10.3% | 3 |
| 2000s | 12.8% | 10.1% | 15.2% | 10 |
| 2010s | 14.4% | 10.8% | 18.0% | 10 |
| 2020s | 15.3% | 15.0% | 16.8% | 6 |
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)
- 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)
- Age population, age 02, male, interpolated 325,021 (2025)
- Age population, age 03, female, interpolated 318,536 (2025)
- Age population, age 03, male, interpolated 318,579 (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is share of women in parliament in Zambia?
- Share of women in parliament in Zambia was 15.0% 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 Zambia?
- The highest recorded value was 18.0% in 2016.
- What is the lowest share of women in parliament recorded in Zambia?
- The lowest recorded value was 9.7% in 1997.
- How does Zambia rank for share of women in parliament?
- Zambia ranks 150th out of 193 countries with data for 2025.
- Is share of women in parliament rising or falling in Zambia?
- Over the last ten years it is up 18.3%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this Zambia 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.