What percent (share) of the world’s countries currently have a woman chief executive?

Written By Jonathan Milner

Critical Analysis

Find answers to the following questions using the visual above, any links below, your big brain, and your knowledge of American government and politics:

  1. Fun fact: about half the world’s population is male and about half is female. According to the visual, about what percent of the world’s countries currently have a female chief executive?

  2. Describe one change over time in the visual above.

  3. Make a claim about why there is such a disparity between male and female chief executives?

  4. Make a claim about whether there will ever be gender parity in the level of the world’s chief executives?

  5. As shown in the visual below* countries have made bigger strides in gender parity in national legislatures than in chief executives. In the United States, for example, women currently make up 29% of the U.S. House of Representatives and 25% of the U.S. Senate. Yet, no woman has ever been the American President. Why do you think humans are more willing to have a female legislator than a female chief executive?

  6. In the United States, a newly released report by the National Partnership for Women & Families finds that states with a higher percentage of women legislators are more likely to adopt policies that provide abortion protections than states with a lower percentage of women legislators. What do you imagine are other policy consequences of the lack of gender parity in legislatures.

  7. According the visual below*, what countries currently have a female chief executive?

  8. When do you think the US will have its first female president (if ever)?

  9. As shown in the visual below*, how does when women gain the right to vote, impact gender parity in politics?

  10. Some countries have passed gender parity laws that has had the effect of increasing female participation rates in those government’s legislatures. Some countries still have not guaranteed women the right to vote. Do you think the U.S. should pass gender parity laws.

Write and Discuss

Take ten minutes to write about the question at the top of the page and then discuss with your classmates.

Act on your Learning

The outcome of the 2024 election will have a big impact on all of us. If you are reading this you might just be eligible to vote in the next big election. Register to vote now.

Get Creative

If women in politics were an kind of vehicle, what would it be?

Learning Extension

 
 

Glossary

Jonathan Milner

Civics Maven!

https://www.gopopro.com/
Previous

What portion of Americans are political independents?
Next

What state has been the most consistent in voting for the same party in presidential elections since 1976?