Women in parliament — all countries

Women in parliament — Sub-Saharan Africa

Women in parliament in Sub-Saharan Africa in 2025 — 27%. Since 1997, the indicator has risen by 16.8 pp.

2025 27% +0.2 pp vs 2024
World rank
Period maximum 27%2023
Period minimum 9.8%1999

Trend over time

1997–2025 · % of seats

Women in parliament — Sub-Saharan Africa, 1997–20255101520253019972000200320062009201220152018202120241997: 10.2%1998: 10.9%1999: 9.8%2000: 11.6%2001: 12.3%2002: 13.5%2003: 13.7%2004: 14.7%2005: 16.2%2006: 16.6%2007: 17.3%2008: 17.8%2009: 18.5%2010: 18.7%2011: 20.5%2012: 21.4%2013: 22.5%2014: 22.2%2015: 23.6%2016: 23.8%2017: 24%2018: 24.1%2019: 24.1%2020: 24.9%2021: 25.9%2022: 26.3%2023: 27%2024: 26.9%2025: 27%
Change over the period: +16.8 pp Annual average: 0.6 pp

Comparison, 2025

How the value compares with the world and the groups this territory belongs to: Sub-Saharan Africa

Sub-Saharan Africa 27%
World 27.2%
Women in parliament — Sub-Saharan Africa, by year Sub-Saharan Africa All countries CSV XLSX
Year % Change, pp
2025 27 +0.2 pp
2024 26.9 −0.2 pp
2023 27 +0.7 pp
2022 26.3 +0.4 pp
2021 25.9 +1.1 pp
2020 24.9 +0.8 pp
2019 24.1 +0 pp
2018 24.1 +0.1 pp
2017 24 +0.2 pp
2016 23.8 +0.2 pp
2015 23.6 +1.5 pp
2014 22.2 −0.3 pp
2013 22.5 +1.1 pp
2012 21.4 +0.8 pp
2011 20.5 +1.8 pp
2010 18.7 +0.3 pp
2009 18.5 +0.7 pp
2008 17.8 +0.5 pp
2007 17.3 +0.7 pp
2006 16.6 +0.4 pp
2005 16.2 +1.5 pp
2004 14.7 +1 pp
2003 13.7 +0.2 pp
2002 13.5 +1.2 pp
2001 12.3 +0.7 pp
2000 11.6 +1.8 pp
1999 9.8 −1.1 pp
1998 10.9 +0.7 pp
1997 10.2

About the indicator

The share of seats held by women in the national parliament (in bicameral systems, in the lower or single chamber). Data of the Inter-Parliamentary Union. The indicator depends directly on the electoral system and on the presence of quotas: in countries with proportional representation and gender quotas the share is consistently higher.

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