The Inter-Parliamentary Union - The United Nations Women Map presents new data for women in government and parliamentary positions as of 1 January 2021. The data shows all-time highs for the number of countries with women Heads of State and/or Heads of Government, as well as for the global share of women Ministers.

However, after last year’s map showed a spike at 21.3 per cent of women ministers, progression has slowed – with just a small increase to 21.9 per cent as of 1 January 2021. The data also reveals that the number of countries with no women in government has increased, bucking a downward trend seen the last few years. 

There were also sluggish gains in the global growth of women parliamentarians in 2020, as shown in the IPU’s annual report on Women in Parliament, launched last week. As of 1 January 2021, the global share of women in national parliaments is 25.5 per cent, a slight increase from 24.9 per cent the year before. 

The new data was presented ahead of the Commission of the Status of Women, the largest UN gathering on gender equality, which this year has as its priority theme “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”. It also comes in the run-up to the Generation Equality Forum, which will deliver multi-stakeholder, game-changing Action Coalitions on six topics including Leadership and Feminist Movements. 

According to the new data, women occupy the role of Heads of State or Government in 22 countries, up from 20 countries this time last year. As of 1 January 2021, 5.9 per cent of elected Heads of State (9 out of 152) and 6.7 per cent of Heads of Government (13 out of 193) are women. 

In Asia, Mongolia progressed from 6.7 per cent women-led ministerial portfolios on 1 January 2020 to 18.8 per cent today, the biggest percentage point increase in the region.