Women in Parliament in 2012: The Year in Perspective
2012 represented nearly a 1 percentage-point increase in the world average (20.3%). With the exception of 2007, this is nearly double the annual rate of increase. By the year’s end, 33 lower houses of parliaments and 17 upper houses had reached the 30-per cent threshold considered necessary for women parliamentarians to have an impact on decision-making. This is more than triple the number 10 years ago. While this is up from 30 lower houses in 2011, it is down from 19 upper houses. New to the 30-per cent plus group were Algeria (31.6%), Mexico (lower house: 36.8% and upper house: 32.8%), Senegal (42.7%), Serbia (32.4%) and TimorLeste (38.5%).
There were also fewer parliaments at the other end of the scale: 40 lower houses have less than 10 per cent women in their ranks, compared with 69 ten years ago and 46 in 2011. Six lower houses and one upper house did not include any women by the end of 2012, a total which has not changed since 2011. These parliaments were mainly in the two regions with the lowest representation of women: the Arab States and the Pacific and include Haiti, Micronesia, Nauru, Palau, Qatar, Saudi Arabia and Vanuatu.
In total, 1,711 women gained seats, accounting for 18.7 per cent of members elected or appointed to parliament in 2012.
(We invite our users to read the full report published by IPU)
2012 represented nearly a 1 percentage-point increase in the world average (20.3%). With the exception of 2007, this is nearly double the annual rate of increase. By the year’s end, 33 lower houses of parliaments and 17 upper houses had reached the 30-per cent threshold considered necessary for women parliamentarians to have an impact on decision-making. This is more than triple the number 10 years ago. While this is up from 30 lower houses in 2011, it is down from 19 upper houses. New to the 30-per cent plus group were Algeria (31.6%), Mexico (lower house: 36.8% and upper house: 32.8%), Senegal (42.7%), Serbia (32.4%) and TimorLeste (38.5%).
There were also fewer parliaments at the other end of the scale: 40 lower houses have less than 10 per cent women in their ranks, compared with 69 ten years ago and 46 in 2011. Six lower houses and one upper house did not include any women by the end of 2012, a total which has not changed since 2011. These parliaments were mainly in the two regions with the lowest representation of women: the Arab States and the Pacific and include Haiti, Micronesia, Nauru, Palau, Qatar, Saudi Arabia and Vanuatu.
In total, 1,711 women gained seats, accounting for 18.7 per cent of members elected or appointed to parliament in 2012.
(We invite our users to read the full report published by IPU)
