Women in ministerial positions — all countries

Women in ministerial positions — Southern Asia

Women in ministerial positions in Southern Asia in 2025 — 11.3%. Since 2005, the indicator has risen by 4.2 pp.

2025 11.3% +2.1 pp vs 2024
World rank
Period maximum 13.9%2018
Period minimum 7.1%2005

Trend over time

2005–2025 · % of ministers

Women in ministerial positions — Southern Asia, 2005–202568101214200520072009201120132015201720192021202320252005: 7.1%2008: 7.7%2010: 7.1%2012: 11.5%2014: 8.5%2015: 10.2%2016: 9.6%2018: 13.9%2019: 11.2%2020: 10.9%2022: 11.3%2023: 9.3%2024: 9.1%2025: 11.3%
Change over the period: +4.2 pp Annual average: 0.21 pp

Comparison, 2025

How the value compares with the world and the groups this territory belongs to: Southern Asia

Southern Asia 11.3%
World 22.4%
Women in ministerial positions — Southern Asia, by year Southern Asia All countries CSV XLSX
Year % Change, pp
2025 11.3 +2.1 pp
2024 9.1 −0.2 pp
2023 9.3 −2 pp
2022 11.3
2020 10.9 −0.3 pp
2019 11.2 −2.6 pp
2018 13.9
2016 9.6 −0.6 pp
2015 10.2 +1.8 pp
2014 8.5
2012 11.5
2010 7.1
2008 7.7
2005 7.1

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.