Gender equality in the functioning of the Assembly

Progress report | Doc. 15439 Add. 1 | 20 January 2022

Committee

Bureau of the Assembly

Rapporteur :

Mr Rik DAEMS, Belgium, ALDE

Origin

The figures provided represent the situation at 10am on 14 December 2021. 2022 - First part-session

1. Since 2012, following a Bureau decision, statistics on the gender breakdown of Assembly positions are prepared every year and included in the Progress report on the activities of the Assembly’s Bureau and Standing Committee presented during the January part-session. They provide a picture of the situation as of December of any given year. The publication of this information aims at enhancing transparency and raising awareness.

2. In September 2021, the Assembly adopted Resolution 2394 (2021) on gender representation in the Parliamentary Assembly, aimed to introduce more balanced representation of women and men in all its structures. Its provisions will be formally implemented from January 2023, but as the terms of office of many of the appointments made in January 2022 will be renewed for 2023, it is expected that figures for 2022 will already reflect the minimum “one in three” principle for gender balance set out in this text.

3. In 2021, the total number of women members of the Assembly represented 37%, the same proportion as in 2020. According to data collected by the Inter-Parliamentary Union, [(1) https://data.ipu.org/women-averages.] the total share of women members of parliament in the national parliaments of Council of Europe member States increased slightly over the last year, from 30.5% in January to 31.2% in November 2021. The provisions laid down in Rule 6.2 a. of the Assembly’s Rules of procedure, namely that “national delegations should include members of the under-represented sex at least in the same percentage as in their national parliaments” seem therefore to have a positive effect on nominations to the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe, since in many cases the national delegations to the Assembly have a higher representation rate of women than national parliaments.

4. In 2021, the Assembly’s presidency continued to be held by Mr Rik Daems. Three of the last ten Assembly presidents have been women (Anne Brasseur, Stella Kyriakides and Liliane Maury Pasquier). The percentage of women as Vice-Presidents of the Assembly rose from 25% to 32%, without, however, reaching the previous level for 2019 of 41%. The low number of women Bureau members rose slightly from 23% to 26% (again, compared to 42% in 2019). The number of women chairpersons of committees dropped still further, from 3 out of 9 in 2020 to 2 out of 9 in 2021. As in 2020, there were no women members of the Presidential Committee in 2021. One of the objectives of Resolution 2394 (2021) is to encourage the appointment of women in the more prominent echelons of the Assembly, where levels have decreased in recent years.

5. As regards the composition of committees, an overall of 37% of full members in 2021 were women, up one percentage point from 36% in 2020, likewise women alternates counted for 38%, up from 37% in 2020. Whereas in 2020 women had represented over a third of full members in only two committees (Committee on Social Affairs, Health and Sustainable Development and Committee on Equality and Non-discrimination), figures improved for the Committee on Political Affairs and Democracy which counted 35% of women as full members in 2021 compared to 30% in 2020, for the Committee on Legal Affairs and Human Rights (from 33% to 35%), and the Committee on Rules of Procedure, Immunities and Institutional Affairs (from 32% to 36%). The proportion of women full members in the Committee on Migration, Refugees and Displaced Persons increased by one percentage point to 30% and for the Monitoring Committee rose from 19% to 25%. Women full members of the Committee on the Election of Judges to the European Court of Human Rights fell from 30% to just 19%.

6. The representation of women as rapporteurs for the reports debated in plenary in 2021 remained proportionately low, dropping for the third year running to 29%, compared to 30% in 2020 and 36% in 2019. It was particularly low in some committees; there were no women rapporteurs at all in the Committee on Political Affairs and Democracy or in the Monitoring Committee in 2021. The representation of women as rapporteurs for the opinions debated in plenary increased sharply from 30% in 2020 to 82% in 2021 (the representation of rapporteurs for opinion is very unbalanced, moving from 100% women to 0% from one year to the other and the other way around – statistics lose significance because of the small and variable number of opinions prepared each year).

OVERVIEW ASSEMBLY
Position	Men	Women	Total	Percentage of men		Percentage of women
				2020	2021	2020	2021
President	1	0	1	100%	100%	0%	0%
Vice-Presidents	13	6	19	75%	68%	25%	32%
Presidential Committee	6	0	6	100%	100%	0%	0%
Assembly Bureau	28	10	38	77%	74%	23%	26%

COMMITTEES	Men	Women	Total	Percentage of men		Percentage of women
				2020	2021	2020	2021
Committee on Political Affairs and Democracy
Full Members	54	29	83	70%	65%	30%	35%
Alternates	66	17	83	83%	80%	17%	20%
Chairperson	1	0	1	0%	100%	100%	0%
Vice-Chairpersons	3	0	3	100%	100%	0%	0%
Rapporteurs for report	6	0	6	80%	100%	20%	0%
Rapporteurs for opinion	0	1	1	-	0%	-	100%
Committee on Legal Affairs and Human Rights
Full Members	55	29	84	67%	65%	33%	35%
Alternates	55	27	82	70%	67%	30%	33%
Chairperson	1	0	1	100%	100%	0%	0%
Vice-Chairpersons	3	0	3	100%	100%	0%	0%
Rapporteurs for report	9	3	12	75%	75%	25%	25%
Rapporteurs for opinion	1	0	1	67%	100%	33%	0%
Committee on the Election of Judges to the European Court of Human Rights
Full Members	13	3	16	70%	81%	30%	19%
Alternates	11	4	15	92%	73%	8%	27%
Chairperson	1	0	1	100%	100%	0%	0%
Vice-Chairpersons	1	1	2	33%	50%	67%	50%
Committee on Social Affairs, Health and Sustainable Development
Full Members	46	35	81	55%	57%	45%	43%
Alternates	46	33	79	56%	58%	44%	42%
Chairperson	1	0	1	100%	100%	0%	0%
Vice-Chairpersons	2	1	3	33%	67%	67%	33%
Rapporteurs for report	3	6	9	56%	33%	44%	67%
Rapporteurs for opinion	0	4	4	67%	0%	33%	100%

COMMITTEES	Men	Women	Total	Percentage of men		Percentage of women
				2020	2021	2020	2021
Committee on Migration, Refugees and Displaced Persons
Full Members	58	25	83	71%	70%	29%	30%
Alternates	47	31	78	63%	60%	37%	40%
Chairperson	1	0	1	100%	100%	0%	0%
Vice-Chairpersons	2	1	3	50%	67%	50%	33%
Rapporteurs for report	8	1	9	71%	89%	29%	11%
Rapporteurs for opinion	0	0	0	100%	-	0%	-
Committee on Culture, Science, Education and Media
Full Members	58	25	83	70%	70%	30%	30%
Alternates	42	37	79	55%	53%	45%	47%
Chairperson	1	0	1	100%	100%	0%	0%
Vice-Chairpersons	1	2	3	67%	33%	33%	67%
Rapporteurs for report	4	1	5	100%	80%	0%	20%
Rapporteurs for opinion	58	25	83	70%	70%	30%	30%
Committee on Equality and Non-Discrimination
Full Members	33	51	83	35%	39%	65%	61%
Alternates	37	40	77	48%	48%	52%	52%
Chairperson	0	1	1	0%	0%	100%	100%
Vice-Chairpersons	0	3	3	0%	0%	100%	100%
Rapporteurs for report	4	5	9	25%	44%	75%	56%
Rapporteurs for opinion	1	3	4	0%	25%	100%	75%
Committee on Honouring of Obligations and Commitments by Member States (Monitoring Committee)
Members	54	18	72	81%	75%	19%	25%
Chairperson	1	0	1	100%	100%	0%	0%
Vice-Chairpersons	1	2	3	33%	33%	67%	67%
Rapporteurs for report	6	0	6	83%	100%	17%	0%
Rapporteurs for opinion	0	0	0	0%	-	100%	-
Committee on Rules of Procedure, Immunities and Institutional Affairs
Members	16	9	25	68%	64%	32%	36%
Chairperson	0	1	1	0%	0%	100%	100%
Vice-Chairpersons	3	0	3	100%	100%	0%	0%
Rapporteurs for report	4	2	6	50%	67%	50%	33%
Rapporteurs for opinion	0	1	1	100%	0%	0%	100%

OVERVIEW COMMITTEES [(2) Figures for rapporteurs for report and for opinion relate to the reports debated by the Assembly and the Standing Committee in 2021.]
Position	Men	Women	Total	Percentage of men		Percentage of women
				2020	2021	2020	2021
Full Members / Members	387	224	611	64%	63%	36%	37%
Alternates	304	189	493	63%	62%	37%	38%
Committee Chairpersons	7	2	9	67%	78%	33%	22%
Committee Vice‑Chairpersons	16	10	26	58%	62%	42%	38%
Rapporteurs for report	44	18	62	70%	71%	30%	29%
Rapporteurs for opinion	2	9	11	64%	18%	36%	82%

GENERAL RAPPORTEURS	2020		2021
	Men	Women	Men	Women
General Rapporteur on the situation of human rights defenders	0	1	0	1
General Rapporteur on the abolition of the death penalty	1	0	1	0
General Rapporteur for the protection of whistleblowers	1	0	-	-
General Rapporteur on local and regional authorities	0	1	0	1
General Rapporteur on science and technology assessment	1	0	1	0
General Rapporteur on media freedom and safety of journalists	1	0	1	0
General Rapporteur on combating racism and intolerance	1	0	1	0
General Rapporteur on violence against women	0	1	0	1
General Rapporteur on the rights of lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and intersex (LGBTI) people	1	0	1	0
General Rapporteur on the budget and intergovernmental programme	1	0	1	0
Total	7	3	6	3
Percentage	70%	30%	67%	33%

GENDER BREAKDOWN, BUREAUX OF SUB-COMMITTEES
Committees	Men	Women	Total	Percentage of men		Percentage of women
				2020	2021	2020	2021
Committee on Political Affairs and Democracy
Sub-Committee Chairpersons	1	1	2	50%	50%	50%	50%
Vice-Chairpersons of Sub-Committees	0	2	2	-	0%	-	100%
Committee on Legal Affairs and Human Rights
Sub-Committee Chairpersons	3	0	3	100%	100%	0%	0%
Vice-Chairpersons of Sub-Committees	1	1	2	-	50%	-	50%
Committee on Social Affairs, Health and Sustainable Development
Sub-Committee Chairpersons	1	3	4	25%	25%	75%	75%
Vice-Chairpersons of Sub-Committees	1	2	3	100%	33%	0%	67%
Committee on Migration, Refugees and Displaced Persons
Sub-Committee Chairpersons	1	1	2	100%	50%	0%	50%
Vice-Chairpersons of Sub-Committees	1	0	1	50%	100%	50%	0%
Committee on Culture, Science, Education and Media
Sub-Committee Chairpersons	2	1	3	50%	67%	50%	33%
Vice-Chairpersons of Sub-Committees	0	1	1	67%	0%	33%	100%
Committee on Equality and Non-Discrimination
Sub-Committee Chairpersons	1	1	2	0%	50%	100%	50%
Vice-Chairpersons of Sub-Committees	0	1	1	0%	0%	100%	100%

GENDER BREAKDOWN, BUREAUX OF SUB-COMMITTEES
Committees	Men	Women	Total	Percentage of men		Percentage of women
				2020	2021	2020	2021
Committee on Honouring of Obligations and Commitments by Member States (Monitoring Committee)
Sub-Committee Chairperson	1	0	1	100%	100%	0%	0%
Vice-Chairpersons of Sub-Committees	0	0	0	-	-	-	-
Committee on Rules of Procedure, Immunities and Institutional Affairs
Sub-Committee Chairperson	0	0	0	-	-	-	-
Vice-Chairpersons of Sub-Committees	0	0	0	-	-	-	-

OVERVIEW – SUB-COMMITTEES
Position	Men	Women	Total	Percentage of men		Percentage of women
				2020	2021	2020	2021
Sub-Committee Chairpersons	10	7	17	62%	59%	38%	41%
Sub-Committee Vice-Chairpersons	3	7	10	57%	30%	43%	70%

GENDER BREAKDOWN – NATIONAL DELEGATIONS
National Delegations (Representatives and Substitutes)	Total	Men	Women	Percentage of men	Percentage of women
Albania [(3) The credentials of the Albanian delegation expired on 24 October 2021. The figures indicated for Albania hereafter relate to the composition of the delegation at the end of the January 2021 part-session.]	7	2	5	29%	71%
Andorra	4	2	2	50%	50%
Armenia	8	6	2	75%	25%
Austria	12	7	5	58%	42%
Azerbaijan	12	8	4	67%	33%
Belgium	14	8	6	57%	43%
Bosnia and Herzegovina	10	4	6	40%	60%
Bulgaria	11	10	1	91%	9%
Croatia	10	5	5	50%	50%
Cyprus	4	3	1	75%	25%
Czech Republic	14	11	3	79%	21%
Denmark	10	8	2	80%	20%
Estonia	6	4	2	67%	33%
Finland	10	3	7	30%	70%
France	36	20	16	56%	44%
Georgia	10	7	3	70%	30%
Germany	36	24	12	67%	33%
Greece	14	9	5	64%	36%
Hungary	14	10	4	71%	29%
Iceland	6	3	3	50%	50%
Ireland	8	4	4	50%	50%
Italy	36	23	13	64%	36%
Latvia	6	4	2	67%	33%
Liechtenstein	4	3	1	75%	25%
Lithuania	8	5	3	63%	38%
Luxembourg	6	3	3	50%	50%
Malta	6	5	1	83%	17%
Republic of Moldova	10	5	5	50%	50%
Monaco	4	2	2	50%	50%
Montenegro	5	4	1	80%	20%
Netherlands	13	5	8	38%	62%
North Macedonia	6	3	3	50%	50%
Norway	10	3	7	30%	70%
Poland	24	19	5	79%	21%
Portugal	14	9	5	64%	36%
Romania	20	14	6	70%	30%
Russian Federation	36	27	9	75%	25%
San Marino	4	2	2	50%	50%
Serbia	14	9	5	64%	36%
Slovak Republic	8	4	4	50%	50%
Slovenia	6	0	6	0%	100%
Spain	24	13	11	54%	46%
Sweden	12	7	5	58%	42%
Switzerland	12	8	4	67%	33%
Turkey	36	27	9	75%	25%
Ukraine	24	13	11	54%	46%
United Kingdom	34	24	10	71%	29%
Total	638	399	235	63%	37%

GENDER BREAKDOWN – NATIONAL DELEGATIONS (REPRESENTATIVES ONLY)
National Delegations (representatives)	Total	Men	Women	Percentage of men	Percentage of women
Albania	4	2	2	50%	50%
Andorra	2	1	1	50%	50%
Armenia	4	3	1	75%	25%
Austria	6	4	2	67%	33%
Azerbaijan	6	5	1	83%	17%
Belgium	7	6	1	86%	14%
Bosnia and Herzegovina	5	1	4	20%	80%
Bulgaria	6	5	1	83%	17%
Croatia	5	2	3	40%	60%
Cyprus	2	1	1	50%	50%
Czech Republic	7	5	2	71%	29%
Denmark	5	4	1	80%	20%
Estonia	3	2	1	67%	33%
Finland	5	2	3	40%	60%
France	18	12	6	67%	33%
Georgia	5	3	2	60%	40%
Germany	18	13	5	72%	28%
Greece	7	4	3	57%	43%
Hungary	7	4	3	57%	43%
Iceland	3	2	1	67%	33%
Ireland	4	3	1	75%	25%
Italy	18	10	8	56%	44%
Latvia	3	2	1	67%	33%
Liechtenstein	2	1	1	50%	50%
Lithuania	4	2	2	50%	50%
Luxembourg	3	1	2	33%	67%
Malta	3	2	1	67%	33%
Republic of Moldova	5	3	2	60%	40%
Monaco	2	1	1	50%	50%
Montenegro	3	2	1	67%	33%
Netherlands	7	2	5	29%	71%
North Macedonia	3	2	1	67%	33%
Norway	5	2	3	40%	60%
Poland	12	10	2	83%	17%
Portugal	7	4	3	57%	43%
Romania	10	7	3	70%	30%
Russian Federation	18	14	4	78%	22%
San Marino	2	1	1	50%	50%
Serbia	7	3	4	43%	57%
Slovak Republic	4	2	2	50%	50%
Slovenia	3	0	3	0%	100%
Spain	12	7	5	58%	42%
Sweden	6	3	3	50%	50%
Switzerland	6	3	3	50%	50%
Turkey	18	13	5	72%	28%
Ukraine	12	5	7	42%	58%
United Kingdom	17	12	5	71%	29%
Total	321	198	123	62%	38%

GENDER BREAKDOWN – NATIONAL DELEGATIONS (SUBSTITUTES ONLY)
National Delegations (substitutes)	Total	Men	Women	Percentage of men	Percentage of women
Albania	3	0	3	0%	100%
Andorra	2	1	1	50%	50%
Armenia	4	3	1	75%	25%
Austria	6	3	3	50%	50%
Azerbaijan	6	3	3	50%	50%
Belgium	7	2	5	29%	71%
Bosnia and Herzegovina	5	3	2	60%	40%
Bulgaria	5	5	0	100%	0%
Croatia	5	3	2	60%	40%
Cyprus	2	2	0	100%	0%
Czech Republic	7	6	1	86%	14%
Denmark	5	4	1	80%	20%
Estonia	3	2	1	67%	33%
Finland	5	1	4	20%	80%
France	18	8	10	44%	56%
Georgia	5	4	1	80%	20%
Germany	18	11	7	61%	39%
Greece	7	5	2	71%	29%
Hungary	7	6	1	86%	14%
Iceland	3	1	2	33%	67%
Ireland	4	1	3	25%	75%
Italy	18	13	5	72%	28%
Latvia	3	2	1	67%	33%
Liechtenstein	2	2	0	100%	0%
Lithuania	4	3	1	75%	25%
Luxembourg	3	2	1	67%	33%
Malta	3	3	0	100%	0%
Republic of Moldova	5	2	3	40%	60%
Monaco	2	1	1	50%	50%
Montenegro	2	2	0	100%	0%
Netherlands	6	3	3	50%	50%
North Macedonia	3	1	2	33%	67%
Norway	5	1	4	20%	80%
Poland	12	9	3	75%	25%
Portugal	7	5	2	71%	29%
Romania	10	7	3	70%	30%
Russian Federation	18	13	5	72%	28%
San Marino	2	1	1	50%	50%
Serbia	7	6	1	86%	14%
Slovak Republic	4	2	2	50%	50%
Slovenia	3	0	3	0%	100%
Spain	12	6	6	50%	50%
Sweden	6	4	2	67%	33%
Switzerland	6	5	1	83%	17%
Turkey	18	14	4	78%	22%
Ukraine	12	8	4	67%	33%
United Kingdom	17	12	5	71%	29%
Total	317	201	116	63%	37%

OVERVIEW – NATIONAL DELEGATIONS
National Delegations	Total	Men	Women	Percentage of men		Percentage of women
				2020	2021	2020	2021
Total	638	399	235	63%	63%	37%	37%
Representatives	321	198	123	64%	62%	36%	38%
Substitutes	317	201	116	63%	63%	37%	37%