[1] UN Women calculation based on information provided by Permanent Missions to the United Nations. Countries with monarchy-based systems are excluded from the count of Heads of State.
[2] UN Women calculations.
[3] UN Women calculation based on information provided by Permanent Missions to the United Nations. Six leaders hold positions of both head of state and head of government. Countries with monarchy-based systems are excluded from the count of Heads of State.
[4] Inter-Parliamentary Union and UN Women, Women in politics: 2025.
[5] Ibid.
[6] Ibid.
[7] Inter-Parliamentary Union. Women in national parliaments, as of 1 January 2025.
[8] Ibid.
[9] Ibid.
[10] Ibid.
[11] UN Women calculations.
[12] Inter-Parliamentary Union. Women in national parliaments, as of 1 January 2025.
[13] UN Women, Women in Local Government. Data as of 1 January 2024.
[14] Ibid.
[15] United Nations (1995). Beijing Declaration and Platform for Action, Critical Area G, “Women, power and decision-making”.
[16] United Nations, Economic and Social Council (2021). Women’s full and effective participation and decision-making in public life, as well as the elimination of violence, for achieving gender equality and the empowerment of all women and girls: Report of the Secretary-General (E/CN.6/2021/3).
[17] R. Chattopadhyay and E. Duflo (2004). “Women as policy makers: Evidence from a randomized policy experiment in India,” Econometrica 72(5), pp. 1409–1443; K. A. Bratton and L. P. Ray. 2002. “Descriptive representation: Policy outcomes and municipal day-care coverage in Norway,” American Journal of Political Science, 46(2), pp. 428–437.
[18] Inter-Parliamentary Union (2008). Equality in politics: A survey of men and women in parliaments.
[Page updated 11 March 2025.]