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Present Global Female Prison Inmates

Over 733,000 women and girls are currently held in prison systems internationally, based on current analyses. This statistic covers both awaiting trial prisoners and individuals already found guilty and punished. Experts believe the real number is much greater due to missing information from numerous countries.

Female inmates generally account for a small minority of overall inmate numbers – typically between 2-9% on average. Currently, women and girls comprise approximately 6.8% of the international inmate count. Nevertheless, their figures are rising at a more rapid tempo than male inmates.

Since the year 2000, the number of women and girls in prison has expanded by approximately 60 percent – roughly triple the growth observed in the incarcerated male demographic. The international incarcerated women statistics grew by exceeding 100,000 individuals during the ten-year period ending in 2020.

Primary Drivers Behind the Rise

Female criminal activities are frequently linked to poverty and usually serve as a method of sustenance to provide for their families.

Detailed analysis has established that laws often criminalize basic sustenance activities and that women are unfairly targeted because they are disproportionately represented among the lowest economic brackets of society. In many countries, laws penalizing abortion, adultery, sexual misconduct and prostitution disproportionately target women. The chance of being given a prison sentence is typically associated with poverty and the inability to pay fines for small infractions or to secure bail.

Nations with the Largest Women Inmate Numbers

The United States has the largest number of female prisoners with 174,607. China ranks second with 145,000, plus an uncertain quantity of women and girls in remand imprisonment and "administrative detention". Further substantial contributors include Brazil (50,441), Russia (39,153), Thailand (33,057), India (23,772), the Philippines (17,121), Turkey (16,581), Vietnam (15,152), Mexico (13,841) and Indonesia (13,044).

In the UK, there are 3,566 women in prison – representing 4% of the complete incarceration statistics. Estimates suggest these numbers are expected to rise to 4,200 by 2027. Across Europe, 94,472 women are currently imprisoned, while Australia reports 3,473 women in prison, constituting approximately 8% of its total prison population.

States with Major Growth in Women Inmate Numbers

Although including typical population expansion over the previous two-and-a-half decades, the surge in the number of female prisoners per 100,000 people continues to demonstrate a significant growth. El Salvador and Cambodia have experienced more than sixfold increases, while Indonesia and Turkey have seen increases over five times.

Women on Death Row

Recent estimates indicate there are between 500 and 1,000 women on death row in at least 42 countries worldwide.

The countries that execute the most women are also the countries that execute the most people in general, including China, Iran, Iraq and Saudi Arabia. According to current records, an undetermined count of women were given capital punishment in China, while two were executed in Egypt, 30 in Iran, one in Iraq, nine in Saudi Arabia and two in Yemen.

No accurate data is available for nations with highest execution rates or for additional countries including North Korea, Vietnam and Qatar. Nevertheless, analysis is obtainable concerning 15 other countries with the most women on death row.

The main offenses for which women are sentenced to death are murder and drug trafficking. Countries with mandatory death penalties for murder, or that do not recognize gender-based violence as reducing factors, are inclined to display increased quantities of women on death row and frequent death sentences.

Moreover, countries that strictly prohibit drug trafficking, such as those in the Gulf region and southeast Asia, have a high proportion of women on death row.

Suitability of Imprisonment for Women

Many experts and activists argue that prison is inappropriate penalty for a large number of women who break the law. The majority are imprisoned for peaceful violations; in Britain, for example, 72% of female prison admissions in 2020 fell into this classification. Women frequently experience a "revolving door" of short prison sentences – too brief to participate in meaningful education, training or work opportunities.

Up to 80% of women in prison worldwide have an diagnosable psychological condition. In Europe, suicide rates for women in prison are nine times higher than for the general population, according to the World Health Organization.

In response to rising numbers of imprisoned females and a lack of standards reflecting their needs, the International Women Prisoner Standards (known as the Bangkok Rules) were accepted by the UN General Assembly in December 2010. These rules require nations to establish non-imprisonment penalties and to ensure gender-sensitive treatment in prisons.

Offspring of Incarcerated Women

An estimated 19,000 children dwell in incarceration centers with a parent, usually their mother, while a much larger quantity are apart from their mothers. Approximately 1.45 million children worldwide have a incarcerated mother.

Besides the clear division and related distress that a prison sentence can cause, it is not uncommon for a woman to be deprived of guardianship of her children after just a short time in prison.

Many countries permit babies and young children to stay in prison with their mothers up to a specific age. Nevertheless, a youth experienced in incarceration can negatively affect a minor both physically and emotionally.