Communist Countries: Women in Politics

1. Communist countries may not be known for participatory democracy, but they often place emphasis on gender equality – in theory.

2. Cuba may have made the furthest strides in putting that promise into practice. Globally, Cuba comes in third for female representation in a lower house or unicameral assembly.

3. 48.9% of Cuba’s national parliament seats are held by women. This is well above the share – or rank – in fellow communist nations, however.

4. China places 70th, with a 23.6% share, which – like the United States – is a greater share than it was five years earlier but lower in the rankings.

5. Meanwhile, Vietnam ranks 67th, with 24.3% of its parliament comprised of women.

6. North Korea’s share of women in its Supreme People’s Assembly (16.3%) exactly matches the female representation in non-communist South Korea’s unicameral National Assembly.

7. Still, the figures for China and Vietnam – while far behind Cuba – are ahead of the United States, as well as much of Asia.

8. Among other key Asian country leaders in this regard, Philippines has a 27.2% share (ranking 53rd) and
Singapore has 23.1% (72nd). But the similarities to China or Vietnam stop there.

9. The share of women in parliament is 20.6% for Pakistan (84th), 17.1% for Indonesia (104th), 12% for India (144st) and 9.5% for Japan (156th).

10. The average for Asia is 19.1% of parliamentary seats being held by women.

Sources: Inter-Parliamentary Union and The Globalist Research Center