Women in ministerial positions — all countries

Women in ministerial positions — High-income countries

Women in ministerial positions in high-income countries in 2025 — 29.4%. Since 2005, the indicator has risen by 12.2 pp.

2025 29.4% −0.5 pp vs 2024
World rank
Period maximum 30.3%2023
Period minimum 17.2%2005

Trend over time

2005–2025 · % of ministers

Women in ministerial positions — High-income countries, 2005–20251520253035200520072009201120132015201720192021202320252005: 17.2%2008: 21.6%2010: 22.2%2012: 20.6%2014: 21.5%2015: 23%2016: 23.2%2018: 26.4%2019: 27%2020: 27.3%2022: 29.2%2023: 30.3%2024: 29.9%2025: 29.4%
Change over the period: +12.2 pp Annual average: 0.61 pp

Comparison, 2025

How the value compares with the world and the groups this territory belongs to: High-income countries

High-income countries 29.4%
World 22.4%
Women in ministerial positions — High-income countries, by year High-income countries All countries CSV XLSX
Year % Change, pp
2025 29.4 −0.5 pp
2024 29.9 −0.5 pp
2023 30.3 +1.1 pp
2022 29.2
2020 27.3 +0.4 pp
2019 27 +0.6 pp
2018 26.4
2016 23.2 +0.2 pp
2015 23 +1.5 pp
2014 21.5
2012 20.6
2010 22.2
2008 21.6
2005 17.2

About the indicator

The share of women among the ministers of a government. The indicator complements the share of women in parliament and often diverges from it: parliamentary representation in many countries is backed by quotas, while the composition of a government is formed by the decision of one person or party, so it reacts faster and shifts more sharply — from zero to full parity within a single round of appointments.

Important: The aggregate for a country group is a simple average across countries rather than a weighted one: the correct weight would be the number of ministers, and the source does not publish it. A simple average answers the question of how widespread the practice is, not of how many women ministers there are in the world.

Source: World Development Indicators (World Bank), license CC BY 4.0.