UAE Ranks Fifth Globally in IPU’s ‘Women in Parliament 2023’ Report
Abu Dhabi, The Gulf Observer: The United Arab Emirates (UAE) has secured the fifth position in the International Parliamentary Union’s (IPU) latest ‘Women in Parliament 2023’ report, reflecting the global standing of women’s representation in legislative bodies. The report, which assesses parliamentary renewals in 66 chambers across 52 countries in 2023, highlights the UAE’s commitment to gender parity in political leadership.
Rwanda continues to lead the IPU world ranking, with an impressive 61.3% representation of women in the Chamber of Deputies. Cuba and Nicaragua closely follow, with 55.7% and 53.9% respectively. Notably, Andorra, Mexico, and the UAE have achieved parity, signaling significant strides in fostering gender equality in parliamentary representation.
According to the report, women constituted 27.6% of Members of Parliament (MPs) in the newly elected or appointed chambers, marking an overall increase of 1.4 percentage points compared to previous polls in the same countries. The global proportion of women MPs has slightly increased to 26.9%, reflecting a growth rate of 0.4 percentage points year-on-year.
The report acknowledges that gender issues played a prominent role in many elections, with some countries experiencing a backlash against women’s rights. Additionally, the departure of several prominent women from politics due to burnout and threats has been highlighted.
In the Americas, women accounted for 42.5% of all MPs elected or appointed in chambers renewed in 2023, maintaining the region’s position with the highest representation of women globally at 35.1%.
Globally, the percentage of women Speakers of parliament increased to 23.8%, marking a 1.1 percentage point rise. Cambodia and Côte d’Ivoire made history by electing women Speakers for the first time.
The report underscores the role of well-designed and implemented quotas in boosting women’s representation. Chambers with quotas elected an average of 28.8% women MPs, compared to 23.2% in countries without quotas.
Sub-Saharan Africa recorded the highest improvement among all regions, with a remarkable increase of 3.9 percentage points in the 2023 elections compared to previous ballots in the same countries. Notable gains were observed in Benin, Eswatini, and Sierra Leone, facilitated by the implementation of quotas.
The UAE’s position in the top five reflects its commitment to fostering an inclusive and diverse political landscape, further solidifying the nation’s dedication to gender equality and representation in parliamentary leadership.
