What is the highest women's civil society participation index recorded in South Africa?

The highest recorded value was 0.897 in 2010.

What is the lowest women's civil society participation index recorded in South Africa?

The lowest recorded value was 0.115 in 1900.

How does South Africa rank for women's civil society participation index?

South Africa ranks 75th out of 176 countries with data for 2025.

Is women's civil society participation index rising or falling in South Africa?

Over the last ten years it is down 3.8%. 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 Women's Civil Society Participation Index. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.

Women's Civil Society Participation Index in South Africa

Name: Women's Civil Society Participation Index in South Africa
Creator: V-Dem (2026) – processed by Our World in Data
License: CC BY 4.0 (Our World in Data)

South Africa: Women's Civil Society Participation Index was 0.785 in 2025. ◆ Volatile

Latest (2025)

0.785

Change on year

up 3.0%

World rank

75th

of 176 countries

All-time high

0.897

in 2010

All-time low

0.115

in 1900

Years of data

126

1900–2025

Women's Civil Society Participation Index in South Africa, 1900–2025

Source: V-Dem (2026) – processed by Our World in Data.

Analysis

In 2025, women's civil society participation index in South Africa stood at 0.785.

The figure is up 3.0% on the previous year and down 3.8% over ten years.

Over the whole period, women's civil society participation index in South Africa peaked at 0.897 in 2010 and was at its lowest, 0.115, in 1900.

That places South Africa 75th out of 176 countries with data for 2025, putting it in the middle of the range.

The series is highly variable year to year, so single readings are best treated with caution.

Women's Civil Society Participation Index in South Africa, year by year

Annual values for Women's Civil Society Participation Index in South Africa, 1900 to 2025.
Year	Value	Change
1900	0.115	—
1901	0.115	+0.0%
1902	0.115	+0.0%
1903	0.115	+0.0%
1904	0.115	+0.0%
1905	0.115	+0.0%
1906	0.115	+0.0%
1907	0.115	+0.0%
1908	0.115	+0.0%
1909	0.115	+0.0%
1910	0.116	+0.9%
1911	0.116	+0.0%
1912	0.116	+0.0%
1913	0.116	+0.0%
1914	0.116	+0.0%
1915	0.116	+0.0%
1916	0.116	+0.0%
1917	0.116	+0.0%
1918	0.116	+0.0%
1919	0.116	+0.0%
1920	0.116	+0.0%
1921	0.116	+0.0%
1922	0.116	+0.0%
1923	0.116	+0.0%
1924	0.116	+0.0%
1925	0.116	+0.0%
1926	0.116	+0.0%
1927	0.116	+0.0%
1928	0.116	+0.0%
1929	0.116	+0.0%
1930	0.143	+23.3%
1931	0.143	+0.0%
1932	0.143	+0.0%
1933	0.143	+0.0%
1934	0.143	+0.0%
1935	0.143	+0.0%
1936	0.143	+0.0%
1937	0.143	+0.0%
1938	0.143	+0.0%
1939	0.143	+0.0%
1940	0.143	+0.0%
1941	0.143	+0.0%
1942	0.143	+0.0%
1943	0.143	+0.0%
1944	0.143	+0.0%
1945	0.143	+0.0%
1946	0.143	+0.0%
1947	0.143	+0.0%
1948	0.147	+2.8%
1949	0.147	+0.0%
1950	0.157	+6.8%
1951	0.157	+0.0%
1952	0.157	+0.0%
1953	0.157	+0.0%
1954	0.157	+0.0%
1955	0.157	+0.0%
1956	0.157	+0.0%
1957	0.157	+0.0%
1958	0.157	+0.0%
1959	0.157	+0.0%
1960	0.157	+0.0%
1961	0.157	+0.0%
1962	0.157	+0.0%
1963	0.157	+0.0%
1964	0.157	+0.0%
1965	0.157	+0.0%
1966	0.157	+0.0%
1967	0.157	+0.0%
1968	0.157	+0.0%
1969	0.157	+0.0%
1970	0.157	+0.0%
1971	0.157	+0.0%
1972	0.157	+0.0%
1973	0.157	+0.0%
1974	0.157	+0.0%
1975	0.157	+0.0%
1976	0.157	+0.0%
1977	0.157	+0.0%
1978	0.157	+0.0%
1979	0.157	+0.0%
1980	0.168	+7.0%
1981	0.168	+0.0%
1982	0.168	+0.0%
1983	0.168	+0.0%
1984	0.168	+0.0%
1985	0.168	+0.0%
1986	0.168	+0.0%
1987	0.168	+0.0%
1988	0.168	+0.0%
1989	0.188	+11.9%
1990	0.23	+22.3%
1991	0.23	+0.0%
1992	0.23	+0.0%
1993	0.23	+0.0%
1994	0.864	+275.7%
1995	0.866	+0.2%
1996	0.877	+1.3%
1997	0.869	-0.9%
1998	0.869	+0.0%
1999	0.869	+0.0%
2000	0.876	+0.8%
2001	0.876	+0.0%
2002	0.876	+0.0%
2003	0.879	+0.3%
2004	0.879	+0.0%
2005	0.892	+1.5%
2006	0.888	-0.4%
2007	0.886	-0.2%
2008	0.882	-0.5%
2009	0.89	+0.9%
2010	0.897	+0.8%
2011	0.897	+0.0%
2012	0.897	+0.0%
2013	0.824	-8.1%
2014	0.824	+0.0%
2015	0.816	-1.0%
2016	0.816	+0.0%
2017	0.822	+0.7%
2018	0.828	+0.7%
2019	0.825	-0.4%
2020	0.748	-9.3%
2021	0.755	+0.9%
2022	0.758	+0.4%
2023	0.755	-0.4%
2024	0.762	+0.9%
2025	0.785	+3.0%

Averages by decade

Decade	Average	Lowest	Highest	Years
1900s	0.115	0.115	0.115	10
1910s	0.116	0.116	0.116	10
1920s	0.116	0.116	0.116	10
1930s	0.143	0.143	0.143	10
1940s	0.1438	0.143	0.147	10
1950s	0.157	0.157	0.157	10
1960s	0.157	0.157	0.157	10
1970s	0.157	0.157	0.157	10
1980s	0.17	0.168	0.188	10
1990s	0.6134	0.23	0.877	10
2000s	0.8824	0.876	0.892	10
2010s	0.8446	0.816	0.897	10
2020s	0.7605	0.748	0.785	6

Countries ranked near South Africa

72 Philippines 0.788 compare
72 Poland 0.788 compare
74 Mexico 0.786 compare
76 Vanuatu 0.784 compare
77 Portugal 0.781 compare
78 Venezuela, Bolivarian Republic of 0.774 compare

See the full ranking of 176 places →

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)
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)
Age population, age 03, female, interpolated 594,743 (2025)
Age population, age 03, male, interpolated 603,304 (2025)

All data for South Africa →

Frequently asked questions

What is women's civil society participation index in South Africa?: Women's civil society participation index in South Africa was 0.785 in 2025, according to V-Dem (2026) – processed by Our World in Data.
What is the highest women's civil society participation index recorded in South Africa?: The highest recorded value was 0.897 in 2010.
What is the lowest women's civil society participation index recorded in South Africa?: The lowest recorded value was 0.115 in 1900.
How does South Africa rank for women's civil society participation index?: South Africa ranks 75th out of 176 countries with data for 2025.
Is women's civil society participation index rising or falling in South Africa?: Over the last ten years it is down 3.8%. 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 Women's Civil Society Participation Index. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.

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Women's Civil Society Participation Index in South Africa. Statizoid, drawing on V-Dem (2026) – processed by Our World in Data. Retrieved 04 September 2026, from https://gender.statizoid.com/stat/women-civil-society-participation-index/south-africa/

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About this data

Indicator: Women's Civil Society Participation Index
Source: V-Dem (2026) – processed by Our World in Data
Licence: CC BY 4.0 (Our World in Data)
Coverage: 176 places, 30,062 data points, 1789–2025
Last refreshed: 28 August 2026

Central estimate of the extent to which women can discuss political issues, participate in civil society organizations, and are represented among journalists.