Share of women in parliament in South Africa
South Africa: Share of women in parliament was 44.7% in 2025. ◆ Volatile
Latest (2025)
44.7%
Change on year
down 0.9%
World rank
14th
of 174 countries
All-time high
46.4%
in 2020
All-time low
0.0%
in 1900
Years of data
123
1900–2025
Share of women in parliament in South Africa, 1900–2025
Source: V-Dem (2026) – processed by Our World in Data. Measured in %.
Analysis
In 2025, share of women in parliament in South Africa stood at 44.7%.
Compared with earlier readings it is down 0.9% on the previous year and up 9.7% over ten years.
Over the whole period, share of women in parliament in South Africa peaked at 46.4% in 2020 and was at its lowest, 0.0%, in 1900.
South Africa ranks 14th of 174 countries on this measure, in the top 10%.
The series is highly variable year to year, so single readings are best treated with caution.
Share of women in parliament in South Africa, year by year
| Year | % | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1900 | 0.0% | — |
| 1901 | 0.0% | — |
| 1902 | 0.0% | — |
| 1903 | 0.0% | — |
| 1904 | 0.0% | — |
| 1905 | 0.0% | — |
| 1906 | 0.0% | — |
| 1907 | 0.0% | — |
| 1908 | 0.0% | — |
| 1909 | 0.0% | — |
| 1910 | 0.0% | — |
| 1911 | 0.0% | — |
| 1912 | 0.0% | — |
| 1913 | 0.0% | — |
| 1914 | 0.0% | — |
| 1915 | 0.0% | — |
| 1916 | 0.0% | — |
| 1917 | 0.0% | — |
| 1918 | 0.0% | — |
| 1919 | 0.0% | — |
| 1920 | 0.0% | — |
| 1921 | 0.0% | — |
| 1922 | 0.0% | — |
| 1923 | 0.0% | — |
| 1924 | 0.0% | — |
| 1925 | 0.0% | — |
| 1926 | 0.0% | — |
| 1927 | 0.0% | — |
| 1928 | 0.0% | — |
| 1929 | 0.0% | — |
| 1930 | 0.0% | — |
| 1931 | 0.0% | — |
| 1932 | 0.0% | — |
| 1936 | 1.4% | — |
| 1937 | 1.4% | +0.0% |
| 1938 | 1.4% | +0.0% |
| 1939 | 1.4% | +0.0% |
| 1940 | 1.4% | +0.0% |
| 1941 | 1.4% | +0.0% |
| 1942 | 1.4% | +0.0% |
| 1943 | 0.7% | -51.6% |
| 1944 | 0.7% | +7.0% |
| 1945 | 0.7% | +0.0% |
| 1946 | 0.7% | +0.0% |
| 1947 | 0.7% | +0.0% |
| 1948 | 1.3% | +86.7% |
| 1949 | 1.3% | -0.5% |
| 1950 | 1.3% | +0.0% |
| 1951 | 1.3% | +0.0% |
| 1952 | 1.3% | +0.0% |
| 1953 | 1.9% | +47.9% |
| 1954 | 1.9% | -1.2% |
| 1955 | 1.9% | +0.0% |
| 1956 | 1.9% | +0.0% |
| 1957 | 1.9% | +0.0% |
| 1958 | 1.3% | -32.5% |
| 1959 | 1.2% | -6.4% |
| 1960 | 1.2% | +0.0% |
| 1961 | 1.9% | +60.3% |
| 1962 | 1.9% | -1.2% |
| 1963 | 1.9% | +0.0% |
| 1964 | 1.9% | +0.0% |
| 1965 | 1.9% | +0.0% |
| 1966 | 1.2% | -36.6% |
| 1967 | 1.2% | -0.4% |
| 1968 | 1.2% | +0.0% |
| 1969 | 1.2% | +0.0% |
| 1970 | 1.2% | +0.4% |
| 1971 | 1.2% | -0.4% |
| 1972 | 1.2% | +0.0% |
| 1973 | 1.2% | +0.0% |
| 1974 | 0.6% | -51.3% |
| 1975 | 0.6% | +2.6% |
| 1976 | 0.6% | +0.0% |
| 1977 | 0.6% | +1.0% |
| 1978 | 0.6% | -1.0% |
| 1979 | 0.6% | +0.0% |
| 1980 | 0.6% | +0.0% |
| 1981 | 1.1% | +88.3% |
| 1982 | 1.1% | -2.7% |
| 1983 | 1.1% | +0.0% |
| 1984 | 2.3% | +109.1% |
| 1985 | 2.3% | +0.0% |
| 1986 | 2.3% | +0.0% |
| 1987 | 2.2% | -2.3% |
| 1988 | 3.6% | +60.2% |
| 1989 | 2.8% | -22.0% |
| 1990 | 1.2% | -57.3% |
| 1991 | 1.2% | +0.0% |
| 1992 | 1.2% | +0.0% |
| 1993 | 1.2% | +0.0% |
| 1994 | 25.0% | +1983.3% |
| 1995 | 25.0% | +0.0% |
| 1996 | 25.0% | +0.0% |
| 1997 | 25.0% | +0.0% |
| 1998 | 25.0% | +0.0% |
| 1999 | 30.0% | +20.0% |
| 2000 | 29.8% | -0.6% |
| 2001 | 30.0% | +0.6% |
| 2002 | 30.0% | +0.0% |
| 2003 | 30.0% | +0.0% |
| 2004 | 32.8% | +9.2% |
| 2005 | 32.8% | +0.0% |
| 2006 | 32.8% | +0.0% |
| 2007 | 32.8% | +0.0% |
| 2008 | 32.8% | +0.0% |
| 2009 | 43.5% | +32.8% |
| 2010 | 44.5% | +2.3% |
| 2011 | 43.5% | -2.2% |
| 2012 | 43.5% | +0.0% |
| 2013 | 43.5% | +0.0% |
| 2014 | 40.8% | -6.3% |
| 2015 | 40.8% | +0.0% |
| 2016 | 40.8% | +0.0% |
| 2017 | 42.1% | +3.4% |
| 2018 | 42.8% | +1.5% |
| 2019 | 46.3% | +8.3% |
| 2020 | 46.4% | +0.2% |
| 2021 | 46.4% | -0.0% |
| 2022 | 46.2% | -0.3% |
| 2023 | 46.0% | -0.5% |
| 2024 | 45.1% | -1.9% |
| 2025 | 44.7% | -0.9% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1900s | 0.0% | 0.0% | 0.0% | 10 |
| 1910s | 0.0% | 0.0% | 0.0% | 10 |
| 1920s | 0.0% | 0.0% | 0.0% | 10 |
| 1930s | 0.8% | 0.0% | 1.4% | 7 |
| 1940s | 1.0% | 0.7% | 1.4% | 10 |
| 1950s | 1.6% | 1.2% | 1.9% | 10 |
| 1960s | 1.6% | 1.2% | 1.9% | 10 |
| 1970s | 0.8% | 0.6% | 1.2% | 10 |
| 1980s | 1.9% | 0.6% | 3.6% | 10 |
| 1990s | 16.0% | 1.2% | 30.0% | 10 |
| 2000s | 32.7% | 29.8% | 43.5% | 10 |
| 2010s | 42.8% | 40.8% | 46.3% | 10 |
| 2020s | 45.8% | 44.7% | 46.4% | 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)
- 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)
- Age population, age 02, male, interpolated 588,323 (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is share of women in parliament in South Africa?
- Share of women in parliament in South Africa was 44.7% in 2025, according to V-Dem (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 46.4% in 2020.
- What is the lowest share of women in parliament recorded in South Africa?
- The lowest recorded value was 0.0% in 1900.
- How does South Africa rank for share of women in parliament?
- South Africa ranks 14th out of 174 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 9.7%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- Where does this South Africa data come from?
- The figures come from V-Dem (2026) – processed by Our World in Data, published as part of Share of women in parliament. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
CSV · JSON — 123 observations, free to reuse under CC BY 4.0 (Our World in Data).
About this data
Percentage of women in the lower or single chamber of the legislature.