While Rwanda continues to lead the world in female parliamentary representation, the United Arab Emirates (UAE) has secured a noteworthy position in the International Parliamentary Union’s (IPU) latest report on ‘Women in Parliament 2023’. The UAE holds parity in its Chamber of Deputies alongside Andorra and Mexico, marking a significant stride towards gender equality in political representation.
According to the report, women accounted for 27.6% of newly elected or appointed MPs across 66 chambers in 52 countries in 2023, reflecting a commendable increase of 1.4 percentage points from previous polls. Globally, the proportion of female MPs has risen to 26.9%, representing a gradual yet steady growth in women’s political participation.
Despite this progress, the report highlights challenges faced by women in politics, including a resurgence of backlash against women’s rights in certain regions. It also notes the departure of prominent female politicians, citing reasons such as burnout and threats, underscoring the need for greater support and protection for women in public office.
The Americas maintain their position as the region with the highest representation of women in parliament, with women constituting 42.5% of all MPs elected or appointed in 2023. Sub-Saharan Africa, however, witnessed the most significant improvement, with a notable increase of 3.9 percentage points compared to previous elections, largely driven by the implementation of quotas in countries like Benin, Eswatini, and Sierra Leone.
Moreover, the global report highlights the increasing number of women serving as Speakers of parliament, reaching 23.8%, with Cambodia and Côte d’Ivoire electing female Speakers for the first time. It underscores the crucial role of well-designed and implemented quotas in advancing women’s representation, with chambers employing quotas electing an average of 28.8% female MPs compared to 23.2% in countries without quotas.
