Global Political Leadership in 2024: Women Still Underrepresented Despite Key Milestones

Historic Firsts in Female Presidencies and Gender-Equal Cabinets, but Broader Progress Remains Limited.

In 2024, women’s representation in political leadership continued to lag significantly, with only five women elected as Heads of State out of 31 direct presidential elections globally. These women leaders now represent Iceland, Mexico, Namibia, North Macedonia, and the Republic of Moldova. For Mexico, Namibia, and North Macedonia, these elections were groundbreaking as they marked the countries’ first-ever women presidents, setting historic precedents for gender inclusivity in leadership.

Mexico and the United Kingdom demonstrated landmark progress by forming gender-equal cabinets following their respective elections. These milestones set important benchmarks for inclusive governance, showcasing that parity at the highest levels of decision-making is achievable and impactful.

Parliamentary Representation Stagnates

Despite these strides, women’s overall representation in parliament remained stagnant at 27% globally in 2024. Of the 39 countries with available data, only 15 recorded increases in the number of women elected, while 24 experienced declines, signaling that progress is far from consistent.

Legislated gender quotas emerged as a significant factor in driving progress:

• The Dominican Republic saw an eight-point rise in women's representation due to stricter quota enforcement.
• Conversely, 12 out of 16 countries without quotas experienced declines, emphasizing the critical role of mandated measures in promoting gender equality.

Persistent Barriers to Women's Leadership

Structural barriers remain deeply entrenched, limiting women's political participation:

• Harmful societal norms.
• Violence against women in politics.
• Insufficient political will and accountability mechanisms.

“This ‘mega election’ year has highlighted a stark truth: women’s political leadership remains the exception, not the norm,” said UN Women Executive Director Sima Bahous. “Despite progress, harmful norms, violence, and insufficient political will continue to undermine women’s participation. We must act decisively to make gender-equal leadership a reality.”

Broader Gender Inequality in Leadership

Globally, men continue to dominate political power:

• Only 87 countries have ever had a woman as Head of State.
• Women remain underrepresented as voters, candidates, and election administrators, despite their participation being critical to strengthening democracy.

Calls for Action Ahead of Beijing+30

As the world approaches the 30th anniversary of the Beijing Declaration and Platform for Action in 2025, urgent actions are needed to advance women’s political leadership:

1. Implement and enforce gender quotas and make strategic appointments to close representation gaps.
2. Combat violence against women in politics and address societal biases.
3. Adopt legal and policy reforms to ensure equitable representation.
4. Invest in feminist movements and coalition-building to create sustained momentum for change.

A Call for Bold Commitments

Achieving women’s full and equal leadership requires bold action, sufficient resources, and collective global commitment to dismantle existing systems of power. These efforts are essential to build a more equitable future where women have an equal voice in shaping the policies and decisions that impact societies worldwide.