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Indicators · Governance

Women in the lower house of parliament

Women as a share of members of the lower or single chamber of parliament.

Why it matters

Representation shapes policy priorities, and several SADC countries have legal targets or quotas to meet.

Read with care

Recorded once a year; seats change with by-elections and appointments.

Source

V-Dem

% of members. 54 African countries, 1960 to 2025.

Women MPs: highest in South Africa, lowest in Botswana

Women in the lower house of parliament, % of members. Latest year available, 2025. 16 of 16 countries have data.

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Source: V-Dem· Get the data (Professional)·dotzedw Insights Centre

Ranked: women mPsiWhy it mattersRepresentation shapes policy priorities, and several SADC countries have legal targets or quotas to meet.

Click a country to highlight it.

010203040South Africa44.7Namibia42.3Angola39.1Mozambique38.3Tanzania37.8Zimbabwe30.1Seychelles26.5Lesotho25.0Eswatini21.6Malawi21.4Comoros18.2Mauritius17.9Zambia15.0Madagascar14.1DRC12.8Botswana9.0median 23.3
dotzedw Insights Centre
How spread out SADC is
Median 23.3Lowest: Botswana 9.0Highest: South Africa 44.7

Over time

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Women in the lower house of parliament against income per person

Each bubble is a SADC country, sized by population. Dashed lines mark the SADC medians. Countries far from the pattern are worth a closer look.

0.010.020.030.040.0$1,000$3,000$10kGDP per person, US$ (log scale)Women MPsDRCTanzaniaSouth AfricaAngolaMozambiqueMadagascarMalawiZambia
Source: V-Dem, World Bank·dotzedw Insights Centre

Table

The same figures as the map, for screen readers and copying.
RankCountryValueYearFive-year changeGradeDetails
1South Africa44.72025down 4% since 2020C
2Namibia42.32025down 4% since 2020C
3Angola39.12025up 32% since 2020C
4Mozambique38.32025down 10% since 2020C
5Tanzania37.82025up 3% since 2020C
6Zimbabwe30.12025down 5% since 2020C
7Seychelles26.52025up 16% since 2020C
8Lesotho25.02025up 7% since 2020C
9Eswatini21.62025up 125% since 2020C
10Malawi21.42025down 7% since 2020C
11Comoros18.22025up 9% since 2020C
12Mauritius17.92025down 11% since 2020C
13Zambia15.02025down 11% since 2020C
14Madagascar14.12025down 21% since 2020C
15DRC12.82025little changed since 2020C
16Botswana9.02025down 16% since 2020C