Politics

Countries where political representation of women is lowest

Written by:
Andrew Lisa
October 12, 2018
diplomedia // Shutterstock

Countries where political representation of women is lowest

A surge of female candidates entering American political races has prompted news organizations like CNN to call 2018 the "year of the woman." But how does the political representation of women here compare to that around the world? And in particular, where is the political representation of women lowest?

To find out, Stacker looked at data from The World Economic Forum's 2017 Global Gender Gap Report, which is a collection of indices used to evaluate gender equality that the organization has developed through an analysis of global data. We focused in on the political empowerment index, which compares countries based on the ratio of women to men in national governments. That index is comprised of the ratio of women to men in parliament or the legislative equivalent (weight 31%), the ratio of women to men in ministerial positions (weight 24.7%), and the number of years with a female head of state in the past 50 years compared to the number of years with a male head of state (44.3%).

Countries are listed in this slideshow from #50 (lower/better political empowerment rank) to #1 (highest/worst political empowerment rank), but without consideration to the strength or weakness of a country's democratic system. It should go without saying that there's no parallel of a first-world democracy to some of the dictatorships, patriarchal monarchies, military states, and active war zones on this list. So while even during the "year of the woman" the U.S. earns a shockingly low political empowerment rank, that doesn't necessarily translate into a reduced overall political empowerment level for women within the country when you consider our stronger democratic system.

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#50. Pakistan

Political empowerment index score: 0.127 (Rank: #95)

Women in parliament: 20.6% (Rank: #75; Female/male ratio: 0.26)

Women in ministerial positions: 0% (Rank: #139; Female/male ratio: 0)

Years with female head of state (of the last 50): 4.7 (Rank: #28; Female/male ratio: 0.1)

Overall gender gap rank: #143 (Score: 0.546)

#49. United States

Political empowerment index score: 0.124 (Rank: #96)

Women in parliament: 19.4% (Rank: #85; Female/male ratio: 0.24)*

Women in ministerial positions: 16.7% (Rank: #84; Female/male ratio: 0.2)

Years with female head of state (of the last 50): 0 (Rank: #69; Female/male ratio: 0)

Overall gender gap rank: #49 (Score: 0.718)

 

* Represents women in U.S. Congress (House of Representatives and Senate)

#48. Vietnam

Political empowerment index score: 0.124 (Rank: #97)

Women in parliament: 26.7% (Rank: #55; Female/male ratio: 0.36)

Women in ministerial positions: 4.2% (Rank: #133; Female/male ratio: 0.04)

Years with female head of state (of the last 50): 0 (Rank: #69; Female/male ratio: 0)

Overall gender gap rank: #69 (Score: 0.698)

#47. Bahamas

Political empowerment index score: 0.122 (Rank: #98)

Women in parliament: 12.8% (Rank: #111; Female/male ratio: 0.15)

Women in ministerial positions: 23.5% (Rank: #47; Female/male ratio: 0.31)

Years with female head of state (of the last 50): 0.1 (Rank: #63; Female/male ratio: 0)

Overall gender gap rank: #27 (Score: 0.743)

#46. Mali

Political empowerment index score: 0.118 (Rank: #99)

Women in parliament: 8.8% (Rank: #131; Female/male ratio: 0.1)

Women in ministerial positions: 24.2% (Rank: #41; Female/male ratio: 0.32)

Years with female head of state (of the last 50): 1 (Rank: #51; Female/male ratio: 0.02)

Overall gender gap rank: #139 (Score: 0.583)

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#45. Morocco

Political empowerment index score: 0.117 (Rank: #100)

Women in parliament: 20.5% (Rank: #76; Female/male ratio: 0.26)

Women in ministerial positions: 13% (Rank: #100; Female/male ratio: 0.15)

Years with female head of state (of the last 50): 0 (Rank: #69; Female/male ratio: 0)

Overall gender gap rank: #136 (Score: 0.598)

#44. Singapore

Political empowerment index score: 0.11 (Rank: #101)

Women in parliament: 23.8% (Rank: #62; Female/male ratio: 0.31)

Women in ministerial positions: 5.3% (Rank: #129; Female/male ratio: 0.06)

Years with female head of state (of the last 50): 0 (Rank: #69; Female/male ratio: 0)

Overall gender gap rank: #65 (Score: 0.702)

#43. Swaziland

Political empowerment index score: 0.109 (Rank: #102)

Women in parliament: 6.2% (Rank: #135; Female/male ratio: 0.07)

Women in ministerial positions: 26.3% (Rank: #35; Female/male ratio: 0.36)

Years with female head of state (of the last 50): 0 (Rank: #69; Female/male ratio: 0)

Overall gender gap rank: #105 (Score: 0.67)

#42. Ukraine

Political empowerment index score: 0.107 (Rank: #103)

Women in parliament: 12.3% (Rank: #116; Female/male ratio: 0.14)

Women in ministerial positions: 13% (Rank: #100; Female/male ratio: 0.15)

Years with female head of state (of the last 50): 2.8 (Rank: #36; Female/male ratio: 0.06)

Overall gender gap rank: #61 (Score: 0.705)

#41. The Gambia

Political empowerment index score: 0.106 (Rank: #104)

Women in parliament: 10.3% (Rank: #124; Female/male ratio: 0.12)

Women in ministerial positions: 22.2% (Rank: #56; Female/male ratio: 0.29)

Years with female head of state (of the last 50): 0 (Rank: #69; Female/male ratio: 0)

Overall gender gap rank: #119 (Score: 0.649)

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#40. Fiji

Political empowerment index score: 0.104 (Rank: #105)

Women in parliament: 16% (Rank: #101; Female/male ratio: 0.19)

Women in ministerial positions: 15.4% (Rank: #92; Female/male ratio: 0.18)

Years with female head of state (of the last 50): 0 (Rank: #69; Female/male ratio: 0)

Overall gender gap rank: #125 (Score: 0.638)

#39. Cambodia

Political empowerment index score: 0.104 (Rank: #106)

Women in parliament: 20.3% (Rank: #77; Female/male ratio: 0.26)

Women in ministerial positions: 9.1% (Rank: #115; Female/male ratio: 0.1)

Years with female head of state (of the last 50): 0 (Rank: #69; Female/male ratio: 0)

Overall gender gap rank: #99 (Score: 0.676)

#38. Mongolia

Political empowerment index score: 0.102 (Rank: #107)

Women in parliament: 17.1% (Rank: #96; Female/male ratio: 0.21)

Women in ministerial positions: 13.3% (Rank: #98; Female/male ratio: 0.15)

Years with female head of state (of the last 50): 0 (Rank: #69; Female/male ratio: 0)

Overall gender gap rank: #53 (Score: 0.713)

#37. Côte d'Ivoire

Political empowerment index score: 0.102 (Rank: #108)

Women in parliament: 10.6% (Rank: #122; Female/male ratio: 0.12)

Women in ministerial positions: 20.9% (Rank: #66; Female/male ratio: 0.26)

Years with female head of state (of the last 50): 0 (Rank: #69; Female/male ratio: 0)

Overall gender gap rank: #133 (Score: 0.611)

#36. Guatemala

Political empowerment index score: 0.102 (Rank: #109)

Women in parliament: 12.7% (Rank: #114; Female/male ratio: 0.14)

Women in ministerial positions: 18.8% (Rank: #74; Female/male ratio: 0.23)

Years with female head of state (of the last 50): 0 (Rank: #69; Female/male ratio: 0)

Overall gender gap rank: #110 (Score: 0.667)

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#35. Brazil

Political empowerment index score: 0.101 (Rank: #110)

Women in parliament: 10.7% (Rank: #121; Female/male ratio: 0.12)

Women in ministerial positions: 4% (Rank: #134; Female/male ratio: 0.04)

Years with female head of state (of the last 50): 5.4 (Rank: #25; Female/male ratio: 0.12)

Overall gender gap rank: #90 (Score: 0.684)

#34. Armenia

Political empowerment index score: 0.099 (Rank: #111)

Women in parliament: 18.1% (Rank: #93; Female/male ratio: 0.22)

Women in ministerial positions: 11.1% (Rank: #106; Female/male ratio: 0.13)

Years with female head of state (of the last 50): 0 (Rank: #69; Female/male ratio: 0)

Overall gender gap rank: #97 (Score: 0.677)

#33. Ghana

Political empowerment index score: 0.097 (Rank: #112)

Women in parliament: 12.7% (Rank: #113; Female/male ratio: 0.15)

Women in ministerial positions: 17.4% (Rank: #81; Female/male ratio: 0.21)

Years with female head of state (of the last 50): 0 (Rank: #69; Female/male ratio: 0)

Overall gender gap rank: #72 (Score: 0.695)

#32. Paraguay

Political empowerment index score: 0.094 (Rank: #113)

Women in parliament: 13.8% (Rank: #109; Female/male ratio: 0.16)

Women in ministerial positions: 15.4% (Rank: #92; Female/male ratio: 0.18)

Years with female head of state (of the last 50): 0 (Rank: #69; Female/male ratio: 0)

Overall gender gap rank: #96 (Score: 0.678)

#31. Georgia

Political empowerment index score: 0.093 (Rank: #114)

Women in parliament: 16% (Rank: #101; Female/male ratio: 0.19)

Women in ministerial positions: 11.1% (Rank: #106; Female/male ratio: 0.13)

Years with female head of state (of the last 50): 0.3 (Rank: #60; Female/male ratio: 0.01)

Overall gender gap rank: #94 (Score: 0.679)

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#30. Cyprus

Political empowerment index score: 0.092 (Rank: #115)

Women in parliament: 17.9% (Rank: #94; Female/male ratio: 0.22)

Women in ministerial positions: 9.1% (Rank: #115; Female/male ratio: 0.1)

Years with female head of state (of the last 50): 0 (Rank: #69; Female/male ratio: 0)

Overall gender gap rank: #92 (Score: 0.684)

#29. Mauritius

Political empowerment index score: 0.09 (Rank: #116)

Women in parliament: 11.6% (Rank: #119; Female/male ratio: 0.13)

Women in ministerial positions: 10% (Rank: #109; Female/male ratio: 0.11)

Years with female head of state (of the last 50): 2.4 (Rank: #40; Female/male ratio: 0.05)

Overall gender gap rank: #112 (Score: 0.664)

#28. Tajikistan

Political empowerment index score: 0.088 (Rank: #117)

Women in parliament: 19% (Rank: #88; Female/male ratio: 0.24)

Women in ministerial positions: 5.9% (Rank: #126; Female/male ratio: 0.06)

Years with female head of state (of the last 50): 0 (Rank: #69; Female/male ratio: 0)

Overall gender gap rank: #95 (Score: 0.678)

#27. Turkey

Political empowerment index score: 0.088 (Rank: #118)

Women in parliament: 14.6% (Rank: #108; Female/male ratio: 0.17)

Women in ministerial positions: 3.8% (Rank: #135; Female/male ratio: 0.04)

Years with female head of state (of the last 50): 2.7 (Rank: #38; Female/male ratio: 0.06)

Overall gender gap rank: #131 (Score: 0.625)

#26. Egypt

Political empowerment index score: 0.087 (Rank: #119)

Women in parliament: 14.9% (Rank: #107; Female/male ratio: 0.18)

Women in ministerial positions: 11.8% (Rank: #104; Female/male ratio: 0.13)

Years with female head of state (of the last 50): 0 (Rank: #69; Female/male ratio: 0)

Overall gender gap rank: #134 (Score: 0.608)

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#25. Chad

Political empowerment index score: 0.087 (Rank: #120)

Women in parliament: 12.8% (Rank: #112; Female/male ratio: 0.15)

Women in ministerial positions: 14.3% (Rank: #94; Female/male ratio: 0.17)

Years with female head of state (of the last 50): 0 (Rank: #69; Female/male ratio: 0)

Overall gender gap rank: #141 (Score: 0.575)

#24. Russian Federation

Political empowerment index score: 0.085 (Rank: #121)

Women in parliament: 15.8% (Rank: #105; Female/male ratio: 0.19)

Women in ministerial positions: 9.7% (Rank: #113; Female/male ratio: 0.11)

Years with female head of state (of the last 50): 0 (Rank: #69; Female/male ratio: 0)

Overall gender gap rank: #71 (Score: 0.696)

#23. Botswana

Political empowerment index score: 0.079 (Rank: #122)

Women in parliament: 9.5% (Rank: #127; Female/male ratio: 0.11)

Women in ministerial positions: 15.8% (Rank: #88; Female/male ratio: 0.19)

Years with female head of state (of the last 50): 0 (Rank: #69; Female/male ratio: 0)

Overall gender gap rank: #46 (Score: 0.72)

#22. Japan

Political empowerment index score: 0.078 (Rank: #123)

Women in parliament: 9.3% (Rank: #129; Female/male ratio: 0.1)

Women in ministerial positions: 15.8% (Rank: #88; Female/male ratio: 0.19)

Years with female head of state (of the last 50): 0 (Rank: #69; Female/male ratio: 0)

Overall gender gap rank: #114 (Score: 0.657)

#21. Saudi Arabia

Political empowerment index score: 0.077 (Rank: #124)

Women in parliament: 19.9% (Rank: #82; Female/male ratio: 0.25)

Women in ministerial positions: 0% (Rank: #139; Female/male ratio: 0)

Years with female head of state (of the last 50): 0 (Rank: #69; Female/male ratio: 0)

Overall gender gap rank: #138 (Score: 0.584)

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#20. Burkina Faso

Political empowerment index score: 0.075 (Rank: #125)

Women in parliament: 11% (Rank: #120; Female/male ratio: 0.12)

Women in ministerial positions: 13% (Rank: #100; Female/male ratio: 0.15)

Years with female head of state (of the last 50): 0 (Rank: #69; Female/male ratio: 0)

Overall gender gap rank: #121 (Score: 0.646)

#19. Jordan

Political empowerment index score: 0.075 (Rank: #126)

Women in parliament: 15.4% (Rank: #106; Female/male ratio: 0.18)

Women in ministerial positions: 7.1% (Rank: #120; Female/male ratio: 0.08)

Years with female head of state (of the last 50): 0 (Rank: #69; Female/male ratio: 0)

Overall gender gap rank: #135 (Score: 0.604)

#18. Thailand

Political empowerment index score: 0.072 (Rank: #127)

Women in parliament: 4.8% (Rank: #140; Female/male ratio: 0.05)

Women in ministerial positions: 11.1% (Rank: #106; Female/male ratio: 0.13)

Years with female head of state (of the last 50): 2.8 (Rank: #37; Female/male ratio: 0.06)

Overall gender gap rank: #75 (Score: 0.694)

#17. Maldives

Political empowerment index score: 0.072 (Rank: #128)

Women in parliament: 5.9% (Rank: #136; Female/male ratio: 0.06)

Women in ministerial positions: 17.6% (Rank: #79; Female/male ratio: 0.21)

Years with female head of state (of the last 50): 0 (Rank: #69; Female/male ratio: 0)

Overall gender gap rank: #106 (Score: 0.669)

#16. Benin

Political empowerment index score: 0.065 (Rank: #129)

Women in parliament: 7.2% (Rank: #134; Female/male ratio: 0.08)

Women in ministerial positions: 14.3% (Rank: #94; Female/male ratio: 0.17)

Years with female head of state (of the last 50): 0 (Rank: #69; Female/male ratio: 0)

Overall gender gap rank: #116 (Score: 0.652)

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#15. Syria

Political empowerment index score: 0.063 (Rank: #130)

Women in parliament: 13.2% (Rank: #110; Female/male ratio: 0.15)

Women in ministerial positions: 6.1% (Rank: #125; Female/male ratio: 0.06)

Years with female head of state (of the last 50): 0 (Rank: #69; Female/male ratio: 0)

Overall gender gap rank: #142 (Score: 0.568)

#14. Azerbaijan

Political empowerment index score: 0.063 (Rank: #131)

Women in parliament: 16.8% (Rank: #98; Female/male ratio: 0.2)

Women in ministerial positions: 0% (Rank: #139; Female/male ratio: 0)

Years with female head of state (of the last 50): 0 (Rank: #69; Female/male ratio: 0)

Overall gender gap rank: #98 (Score: 0.676)

#13. Myanmar

Political empowerment index score: 0.059 (Rank: #132)

Women in parliament: 10.2% (Rank: #125; Female/male ratio: 0.11)

Women in ministerial positions: 5% (Rank: #130; Female/male ratio: 0.05)

Years with female head of state (of the last 50): 1.2 (Rank: #50; Female/male ratio: 0.03)

Overall gender gap rank: #83 (Score: 0.691)

#12. Malaysia

Political empowerment index score: 0.058 (Rank: #133)

Women in parliament: 10.4% (Rank: #123; Female/male ratio: 0.12)

Women in ministerial positions: 8.3% (Rank: #118; Female/male ratio: 0.09)

Years with female head of state (of the last 50): 0 (Rank: #69; Female/male ratio: 0)

Overall gender gap rank: #104 (Score: 0.67)

#11. Bhutan

Political empowerment index score: 0.056 (Rank: #134)

Women in parliament: 8.5% (Rank: #132; Female/male ratio: 0.09)

Women in ministerial positions: 10% (Rank: #109; Female/male ratio: 0.11)

Years with female head of state (of the last 50): 0 (Rank: #69; Female/male ratio: 0)

Overall gender gap rank: #124 (Score: 0.638)

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#10. Nigeria

Political empowerment index score: 0.052 (Rank: #135)

Women in parliament: 5.6% (Rank: #139; Female/male ratio: 0.06)

Women in ministerial positions: 12% (Rank: #103; Female/male ratio: 0.14)

Years with female head of state (of the last 50): 0 (Rank: #69; Female/male ratio: 0)

Overall gender gap rank: #122 (Score: 0.641)

#9. Iran, Islamic Rep.

Political empowerment index score: 0.046 (Rank: #136)

Women in parliament: 5.9% (Rank: #136; Female/male ratio: 0.06)

Women in ministerial positions: 9.7% (Rank: #113; Female/male ratio: 0.11)

Years with female head of state (of the last 50): 0 (Rank: #69; Female/male ratio: 0)

Overall gender gap rank: #140 (Score: 0.583)

#8. Bahrain

Political empowerment index score: 0.037 (Rank: #137)

Women in parliament: 7.5% (Rank: #133; Female/male ratio: 0.08)

Women in ministerial positions: 4.5% (Rank: #131; Female/male ratio: 0.05)

Years with female head of state (of the last 50): 0 (Rank: #69; Female/male ratio: 0)

Overall gender gap rank: #126 (Score: 0.632)

#7. Hungary

Political empowerment index score: 0.035 (Rank: #138)

Women in parliament: 10.1% (Rank: #126; Female/male ratio: 0.11)

Women in ministerial positions: 0% (Rank: #139; Female/male ratio: 0)

Years with female head of state (of the last 50): 0 (Rank: #69; Female/male ratio: 0)

Overall gender gap rank: #103 (Score: 0.67)

#6. Belize

Political empowerment index score: 0.032 (Rank: #139)

Women in parliament: 9.4% (Rank: #128; Female/male ratio: 0.1)

Women in ministerial positions: 0% (Rank: #139; Female/male ratio: 0)

Years with female head of state (of the last 50): 0 (Rank: #69; Female/male ratio: 0)

Overall gender gap rank: #79 (Score: 0.692)

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#5. Brunei Darussalam

Political empowerment index score: 0.031 (Rank: #140)

Women in parliament: 9.1% (Rank: #130; Female/male ratio: 0.1)

Women in ministerial positions: 0% (Rank: #139; Female/male ratio: 0)

Years with female head of state (of the last 50): 0 (Rank: #69; Female/male ratio: 0)

Overall gender gap rank: #102 (Score: 0.671)

#4. Kuwait

Political empowerment index score: 0.027 (Rank: #141)

Women in parliament: 3.1% (Rank: #142; Female/male ratio: 0.03)

Women in ministerial positions: 6.7% (Rank: #121; Female/male ratio: 0.07)

Years with female head of state (of the last 50): 0 (Rank: #69; Female/male ratio: 0)

Overall gender gap rank: #129 (Score: 0.628)

#3. Lebanon

Political empowerment index score: 0.019 (Rank: #142)

Women in parliament: 3.1% (Rank: #141; Female/male ratio: 0.03)

Women in ministerial positions: 3.4% (Rank: #138; Female/male ratio: 0.04)

Years with female head of state (of the last 50): 0 (Rank: #69; Female/male ratio: 0)

Overall gender gap rank: #137 (Score: 0.596)

#2. Qatar

Political empowerment index score: 0.016 (Rank: #143)

Women in parliament: 0% (Rank: #143; Female/male ratio: 0)

Women in ministerial positions: 6.3% (Rank: #122; Female/male ratio: 0.07)

Years with female head of state (of the last 50): 0 (Rank: #69; Female/male ratio: 0)

Overall gender gap rank: #130 (Score: 0.626)

#1. Yemen

Political empowerment index score: 0.014 (Rank: #144)

Women in parliament: 0% (Rank: #143; Female/male ratio: 0)

Women in ministerial positions: 5.4% (Rank: #128; Female/male ratio: 0.06)

Years with female head of state (of the last 50): 0 (Rank: #69; Female/male ratio: 0)

Overall gender gap rank: #144 (Score: 0.516)

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