Gender equality in the functioning of the Assembly

Progress report | Doc. 15885 Add. 1 | 19 January 2024

Author(s):

Bureau of the Assembly

Origin

The figures provided represent the situation on 28 November 2023. 2024 - First part-session

Information memorandum prepared by the Secretariat of the Committee on Equality and Non-Discrimination

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, with the aim of introducing more balanced representation of women and men in all its structures. Its provisions were applied for the first time at the January 2023 part-session. They require delegations to include at least the same percentage of women as their national parliament, or, if this is more favourable to the representation of women, to respect the minimum “one in three” principle for the representation of women in national delegations and to include a minimum number of women as full members.

3. In order to encourage the effective role of women in the decision-making process and in parliamentary work, the resolution introduced another important feature which states that delegations are only authorised to propose vice-presidents of the Assembly who are men if the delegation is composed of at least 40% women. Rapporteurs in committees and ad hoc committees must now comprise at least one-third of women, and the Bureau ensures the principle is applied for institutional representation. Political groups are also invited to follow the same principle, in particular when appointing committee bureaux, members of ad hoc committees, spokespersons, group leadership and ad hoc election observation committees, and are required to do the same when appointing members to the Monitoring Committee, the Committee on Rules of Procedure, Immunities and Institutional Affairs and the Committee for the Election of Judges to the European Court of Human Rights.

4. Consequently, all national delegations appointed in 2023 reflected the minimum “one in three” principle for gender balance set out in the text, and women’s effective participation in decision-making roles and in the parliamentary work in the Assembly definitely progressed towards parity. In 2023, the total number of women members of the Assembly represented 45%, a marked increase compared to 40% in 2022, and exactly half the national delegations appointed delegations with at least 50% women as full members or alternates. The next stage in the implementation of Resolution 2394 (2021) includes a formal undertaking by the Assembly to require a minimum of 40% of women in all delegations as from the opening of the 2026 session.

5. 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 [(2) The IPU averages for Europe are actually based on Council of Europe member States with the addition of Belarus and the Russian Federation.] rose to 31.4% in November 2023 from 30.9% in November 2022. The combination of 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” and the adoption of Resolution 2394 (2021) which introduced amendments to Rules 6.2 a. and 6.2 b. seem indeed to have had a positive effect on nominations to PACE, since in many cases the national delegations to the Assembly have a higher representation rate of women than national parliaments.

6. In 2023, the Assembly’s presidency was held for the second year by Mr Tiny Kox. Three of the last ten PACE presidents have been women (Anne Brasseur, Stella Kyriakides and Liliane Maury Pasquier). The percentage of women as Vice-Presidents of the Assembly rose again in 2023, from 42% to 47%. The number of women Bureau members also rose, from 35% in 2022 to 37% in 2023 (remaining lower than the 42% achieved in 2019). Women were chairpersons of 3 out of 9 committees, as in in 2022. In 2023, the Secretary General of the Assembly remained the only woman member of the Presidential Committee as in 2022, the five other members (the Assembly President and the five presidents of political groups) all being men. These figures show that one of the objectives of Resolution 2394 (2021), to encourage the appointment of women in the more prominent echelons of the Assembly, requires further efforts.

7. As regards the composition of committees, an overall 47% of full members in 2023 were women, up 6 points from 2022; likewise, women alternates also counted for 47%, in 2023 compared to 42% in 2022. The rise in the percentage of women full members was observed in all committees, except in the Committee on Legal Affairs and Human Rights, where it dropped from 38% to 37%, and in the Committee on Migration, Refugees and Displaced Persons, where it remained at 37% in 2023.

8. After a significant rise in 2022, figures for the representation of women as rapporteurs for the reports debated in plenary in 2023 varied widely, ranging from a very low 11% and 12% in the Committee on Legal Affairs and Human Rights and the Committee on Migration, Refugees and Displaced Persons respectively, to 60% in the Committee on Culture, Science, Education and Media and 88% in the Committee on Equality and Non-Discrimination. The representation of women as rapporteurs for the opinions debated in plenary dropped 60% in 2022 to 33% in 2023 (statistics on rapporteurs for opinion are not particularly significant because of the small and variable number of opinions prepared each year).

OVERVIEW ASSEMBLY
Position	Men	Women	Total	Percentage of men		Percentage of women
				2022	2023	2022	2023
President	1	0	1	100%	100%	0%	0%
Vice-Presidents	10	9	19	58%	53%	42%	47%
Presidential Committee	6	1	7	86%	86%	14%	14%
Assembly Bureau	24	14	38	65%	63%	35%	37%

COMMITTEES	Men	Women	Total	Percentage of men		Percentage of women
				2022	2023	2022	2023
Committee on Political Affairs and Democracy
Full Members	52	29	81	65%	64%	35%	36%
Alternates	58	20	78	75%	74%	25%	26%
Chairperson	1	0	1	100%	100%	0%	0%
Vice-Chairpersons	2	1	3	33%	67%	67%	33%
Rapporteurs for report	4	3	7	67%	57%	33%	43%
Committee on Legal Affairs and Human Rights
Full Members	51	30	81	62%	63%	38%	37%
Alternates	42	38	80	62%	53%	38%	48%
Chairperson	1	0	1	100%	100%	0%	0%
Vice-Chairpersons	1	1	2	67%	50%	33%	50%
Rapporteurs for report	8	1	9	77%	89%	33%	11%
Rapporteurs for opinion	1	0	1	100%	100%	0%	0%
Committee on the Election of Judges to the European Court of Human Rights
Full Members	12	8	20	68%	60%	32%	40%
Alternates	7	7	14	60%	50%	40%	50%
Chairperson	1	0	1	100%	100%	0%	0%
Vice-Chairpersons	2	1	3	67%	67%	33%	33%
Committee on Social Affairs, Health and Sustainable Development
Full Members	35	46	81	53%	43%	47%	57%
Alternates	29	46	75	45%	39%	55%	61%
Chairperson	1	0	1	0%	100%	100%	0%
Vice-Chairpersons	1	2	3	33%	33%	67%	67%
Rapporteurs for report	5	3	8	40%	63%	60%	37%
Committee on Migration, Refugees and Displaced Persons
Full Members	49	28	77	63%	63%	37%	37%
Alternates	41	35	76	59%	54%	41%	46%
Chairperson	1	0	1	100%	100%	0%	0%
Vice-Chairpersons	3	0	3	100%	100%	0%	0%
Rapporteurs for report	7	1	8	50%	88%	50%	12%
Rapporteurs for opinion	0	1	1	-	0%	-	100%
Committee on Culture, Science, Education and Media
Full Members	42	37	79	64%	53%	36%	47%
Alternates	39	36	75	51%	52%	49%	48%
Chairperson	0	1	1	100%	0%	0%	100%
Vice-Chairpersons	1	2	3	33%	33%	67%	67%
Rapporteurs for report	2	3	5	80%	40%	20%	60%
Committee on Equality and Non-Discrimination
Full Members	22	58	80	35%	28%	65%	72%
Alternates	35	41	46	51%	46%	49%	54%
Chairperson	0	1	1	0%	0%	100%	100%
Vice-Chairpersons	1	1	2	67%	50%	33%	50%
Rapporteurs for report	1	7	8	44%	12%	56%	88%
Committee on Honouring of Obligations and Commitments by Member States (Monitoring Committee)
Members	44	33	77	68%	57%	32%	43%
Chairperson	1	0	1	100%	100%	0%	0%
Vice-Chairpersons	3	0	3	100%	100%	0%	0%
Rapporteurs for report	4	3	7	79%	57%	21%	43%
Rapporteurs for opinion	1	0	1	-	100%	-	0%
Committee on Rules of Procedure, Immunities and Institutional Affairs
Members	11	11	22	71%	50%	29%	50%
Chairperson	0	1	1	0%	0%	100%	100%
Vice-Chairpersons	2	0	2	33%	100%	67%	0%
Rapporteurs for report	0	2	2	-	0%	-	100%

OVERVIEW COMMITTEES [(3) Figures for rapporteurs for report and for opinion relate to the reports debated by the Assembly and the Standing Committee in 2023.]
Position	Men	Women	Total	Percentage of men		Percentage of women
				2022	2023	2022	2023
Full Members / Members	318	280	598	59%	53%	41%	47%
Alternates	244	216	460	58%	53%	42%	47%
Committee Chairpersons	6	3	9	67%	67%	33%	33%
Committee Vice‑Chairpersons	15	8	23	59%	65%	41%	35%
Rapporteurs for report	31	23	54	64%	57%	36%	43%
Rapporteurs for opinion	2	1	3	40%	67%	60%	33%

GENERAL RAPPORTEURS	2022		2023
	Men	Women	Men	Women
General Rapporteur on the situation of human rights defenders	0	1	1	0
General Rapporteur on the abolition of the death penalty	1	0	1	0
General Rapporteur on political prisoners [(4) Role of General Rapporteur on political prisoners created in 2023.]			0	1
General Rapporteur on local and regional authorities	1	0	1	0
General Rapporteur on science and technology assessment	1	0	0	1
General Rapporteur on media freedom and safety of journalists	1	0	1	0
General Rapporteur on combating racism and intolerance	0	1	0	1
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	-	-	0	1
Total	5	3	5	5
Percentage	62%	38%	50%	50%

GENDER BREAKDOWN, BUREAUX OF SUB-COMMITTEES
Committees	Men	Women	Total	Percentage of men		Percentage of women
				2022	2023	2022	2023
Committee on Political Affairs and Democracy
Sub-Committee Chairpersons	3	0	3	100%	100%	0%	0%
Vice-Chairpersons of Sub-Committees	0	1	1	100%	0%	0%	100%
Committee on Legal Affairs and Human Rights
Sub-Committee Chairpersons	2	1	3	33%	67%	67%	33%
Vice-Chairpersons of Sub-Committees	0	2	2	50%	0%	50%	100%
Committee on Social Affairs, Health and Sustainable Development
Sub-Committee Chairpersons	1	3	4	33%	25%	67%	75%
Vice-Chairpersons of Sub-Committees	1	0	1	50%	100%	50%	0%
Committee on Migration, Refugees and Displaced Persons
Sub-Committee Chairpersons	2	1	3	67%	67%	33%	33%
Vice-Chairpersons of Sub-Committees	2	0	2	50%	100%	50%	0%
Committee on Culture, Science, Education and Media
Sub-Committee Chairpersons	1	1	2	50%	50%	50%	50%
Vice-Chairpersons of Sub-Committees	0	2	2	50%	0%	50%	100%
Committee on Equality and Non-Discrimination
Sub-Committee Chairpersons	0	2	2	33%	0%	67%	100%
Vice-Chairpersons of Sub-Committees	0	1	1	100%	0%	0%	100%
Committee on Honouring of Obligations and Commitments by Member States (Monitoring Committee)
Sub-Committee Chairperson	1	0	1	-	100%	-	0%
Vice-Chairpersons of Sub-Committees	1	0	1	-	100%	-	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
				2022	2023	2022	2023
Sub-Committee Chairpersons	10	8	18	56%	56%	44%	44%
Sub-Committee Vice-Chairpersons	4	6	10	62%	40%	38%	60%

GENDER BREAKDOWN – NATIONAL DELEGATIONS
National Delegations (Representatives and Substitutes)	Total	Men	Women	Percentage of men	Percentage of women
Albania	8	3	5	38%	62%
Andorra	4	2	2	50%	50%
Armenia	8	5	3	63%	37%
Austria	12	6	6	50%	50%
Azerbaijan	12	8	4	67%	33%
Belgium	14	8	6	57%	43%
Bosnia and Herzegovina	10	6	4	60%	40%
Bulgaria	12	6	6	50%	50%
Croatia	10	5	5	50%	50%
Cyprus	4	3	1	75%	25%
Czech Republic	14	9	5	64%	36%
Denmark	10	5	5	50%	50%
Estonia	5	3	2	60%	40%
Finland	10	5	5	50%	50%
France	36	20	16	56%	44%
Georgia	9	5	4	56%	44%
Germany	36	21	15	58%	42%
Greece	13	8	5	62%	38%
Hungary	14	9	5	64%	36%
Iceland	6	2	4	33%	67%
Ireland	8	4	4	50%	50%
Italy	36	19	17	53%	47%
Latvia	6	3	3	50%	50%
Liechtenstein	4	3	1	75%	25%
Lithuania	8	5	3	63%	37%
Luxembourg	6	3	3	50%	50%
Malta	6	3	3	50%	50%
Republic of Moldova	10	4	6	40%	60%
Monaco	4	2	2	50%	50%
Montenegro	6	4	2	67%	33%
Netherlands	14	8	6	57%	43%
North Macedonia	6	3	3	50%	50%
Norway	10	4	6	40%	60%
Poland	24	16	8	67%	33%
Portugal	14	6	8	43%	57%
Romania	20	12	8	60%	40%
San Marino	4	2	2	50%	50%
Serbia	14	6	8	43%	57%
Slovak Republic	6	3	3	50%	50%
Slovenia	6	2	4	33%	67%
Spain	24	13	11	54%	46%
Sweden	12	6	6	50%	50%
Switzerland	11	7	4	64%	36%
Türkiye	36	20	16	56%	44%
Ukraine	24	12	12	50%	50%
United Kingdom	36	20	16	56%	44%
Total	602	329	273	55%	45%

GENDER BREAKDOWN – NATIONAL DELEGATIONS (REPRESENTATIVES ONLY)
National Delegations (representatives)	Total	Men	Women	Percentage of men	Percentage of women
Albania	4	1	3	25%	75%
Andorra	2	1	1	50%	50%
Armenia	4	3	1	75%	25%
Austria	6	3	3	50%	50%
Azerbaijan	6	4	2	67%	33%
Belgium	7	4	3	57%	43%
Bosnia and Herzegovina	5	2	3	40%	60%
Bulgaria	6	2	4	33%	67%
Croatia	5	2	3	40%	60%
Cyprus	2	1	1	50%	50%
Czech Republic	7	4	3	57%	43%
Denmark	5	3	2	60%	40%
Estonia	3	2	1	67%	33%
Finland	5	2	3	40%	60%
France	18	10	8	56%	44%
Georgia	5	2	3	40%	60%
Germany	18	12	6	67%	33%
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	11	7	61%	39%
Latvia	3	2	1	67%	33%
Liechtenstein	2	1	1	50%	50%
Lithuania	4	3	1	75%	25%
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	3	4	43%	57%
North Macedonia	3	2	1	67%	33%
Norway	5	2	3	40%	60%
Poland	12	8	4	67%	33%
Portugal	7	3	4	43%	57%
Romania	10	6	4	60%	40%
San Marino	2	1	1	50%	50%
Serbia	7	2	5	29%	71%
Slovak Republic	4	2	2	50%	50%
Slovenia	3	0	3	0%	100%
Spain	12	6	6	50%	50%
Sweden	6	3	3	50%	50%
Switzerland	6	3	3	50%	50%
Türkiye	18	10	8	56%	44%
Ukraine	12	5	7	42%	58%
United Kingdom	18	10	8	56%	44%
Total	304	163	141	54%	46%

GENDER BREAKDOWN – NATIONAL DELEGATIONS (SUBSTITUTES ONLY)
National Delegations (substitutes)	Total	Men	Women	Percentage of men	Percentage of women
Albania	4	2	2	50%	50%
Andorra	2	1	1	50%	50%
Armenia	4	2	2	50%	50%
Austria	6	3	3	50%	50%
Azerbaijan	6	4	2	67%	33%
Belgium	7	4	3	57%	43%
Bosnia and Herzegovina	5	4	1	80%	20%
Bulgaria	6	4	2	67%	33%
Croatia	5	3	2	60%	40%
Cyprus	2	2	0	100%	0%
Czech Republic	7	5	2	71%	29%
Denmark	5	2	3	40%	60%
Estonia	2	1	1	50%	50%
Finland	5	3	2	60%	40%
France	18	10	8	56%	44%
Georgia	4	3	1	75%	25%
Germany	18	9	9	50%	50%
Greece	6	4	2	67%	33%
Hungary	7	5	2	71%	29%
Iceland	3	0	3	0%	100%
Ireland	4	1	3	25%	75%
Italy	18	8	10	44%	56%
Latvia	3	1	2	33%	67%
Liechtenstein	2	2	0	100%	0%
Lithuania	4	2	2	50%	50%
Luxembourg	3	2	1	67%	33%
Malta	3	1	2	33%	67%
Republic of Moldova	5	1	4	20%	80%
Monaco	2	1	1	50%	50%
Montenegro	3	2	1	67%	33%
Netherlands	7	5	2	71%	29%
North Macedonia	3	1	2	33%	67%
Norway	5	2	3	40%	60%
Poland	12	8	4	67%	33%
Portugal	7	3	4	43%	57%
Romania	10	6	4	60%	40%
San Marino	2	1	1	50%	50%
Serbia	7	4	3	57%	43%
Slovak Republic	2	1	1	50%	50%
Slovenia	3	2	1	67%	33%
Spain	12	7	5	58%	42%
Sweden	6	3	3	50%	50%
Switzerland	5	4	1	80%	20%
Türkiye	18	10	8	56%	44%
Ukraine	12	7	5	58%	42%
United Kingdom	18	10	8	56%	44%
Total	298	166	132	56%	44%

OVERVIEW – NATIONAL DELEGATIONS
National Delegations	Total	Men	Women	Percentage of men		Percentage of women
				2022	2023	2022	2023
Total	602	329	273	60%	55%	40%	45%
Representatives	304	163	141	59%	54%	41%	46%
Substitutes	298	166	132	61%	56%	39%	44%