Women still, far from being in power: UN Women

Women serve as Heads of State or Government in only 21 countries (10 women Heads of State and 13 women Heads of Government), while 119 countries have never had a woman leader, according to UN Women.

 At the current rate, parity at the pinnacle of power will not be reached for another 130 years, UN Women states.

Available research demonstrates that women’s and men’s education, political experience and ages upon entering executive office are similar. Gendered perceptions that executive offices should be filled by men, and not on the basis of credentials, account for women’s severe underrepresentation at this level.

Globally, women hold 21 per cent of ministerial positions, five points higher than in 2010. Just 14 countries have cabinets with 50 per cent or more positions held by women. In 16 countries, 40 to 49.9 per cent of ministers are women, but in 40 cabinets, fewer than 10 per cent of ministers are women, and in 54 cabinets women account for between 10 and 19.9 per cent of ministers.

The present Union Government in India has only six women ministers. The highest women ministers were in the cabinet of P V Narasimha Rao, where the number stood at 15.

At an annual increase of just 0.52 percentage points, gender parity in ministerial positions will not be achieved before 2077. Increasingly, women lead ministries in non-social sectors, such as defence, the environment, employment and trade/industry.