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Current Global Female Prison Population

In excess of 733,000 women and girls are detained in penal institutions worldwide, based on recent research studies. This figure encompasses both remand prisoners and individuals already convicted and sentenced. Experts believe the real number is substantially larger due to incomplete data from multiple states.

Women consistently represent a minor proportion of overall inmate numbers – typically between 2-9% on average. Presently, women and girls account for approximately 6.8% of the global prison population. Nevertheless, their numbers are increasing at a faster rate than incarcerated men.

Over the past two decades, the incarcerated females in prison has increased by almost three-fifths – roughly triple the rise observed in the male prison population. The global female prison population grew by exceeding 100,000 individuals during the decade-long span ending in 2020.

Primary Drivers Behind the Rise

Women's lawbreaking are often associated with economic hardship and often constitute a means of survival to care for their dependents.

Extensive studies has found that regulations typically outlaw basic sustenance activities and that women are unfairly targeted because they are over-represented among the lowest economic brackets of society. In numerous countries, laws penalizing abortion, adultery, sexual misconduct and prostitution almost exclusively affect women. The chance of being given a prison sentence is often also related to poverty and the inability to pay fines for small infractions or to obtain release.

Nations with the Highest Female Prison Populations

The United States has the highest count of female prisoners with 174,607. China follows with 145,000, plus an unknown number 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 England and Wales, there are 3,566 women in prison – representing 4% of the total prison population. Forecasts show these numbers are expected to rise to 4,200 by 2027. Across Europe, 94,472 women are presently incarcerated, while Australia reports 3,473 women in prison, amounting to approximately 8% of its overall inmate demographic.

Countries with Major Growth in Female Prison Populations

Despite considering typical population expansion over the last quarter-century, the rise in the number of female prisoners per 100,000 people remains indicative of a remarkable increase. El Salvador and Cambodia have experienced over six times growth, while Indonesia and Turkey have seen increases over five times.

Women on Death Row

Current calculations 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 likewise the states that execute the most people in general, namely China, Iran, Iraq and Saudi Arabia. Based on recent documentation, an unknown number of women were executed 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 states with most frequent capital punishment or for others such as North Korea, Vietnam and Qatar. Nevertheless, analysis is accessible regarding 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 required execution sentences for murder, or that refuse to consider gender-based violence as lessening conditions, are inclined to display greater amounts of women on death row and frequent death sentences.

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

Suitability of Incarceration for Females

Many experts and activists argue that prison is not a suitable punishment for a substantial percentage of women who break the law. Many are jailed for peaceful violations; in England and Wales, for example, 72% of female prison admissions in 2020 belonged to this group. Women often encounter a "repetitive cycle of limited imprisonment terms – 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 overall public, based on the WHO.

In response to growing statistics of imprisoned females and a lack of standards reflecting their needs, the UN Rules for the Treatment of Women Prisoners (known as the Bangkok Rules) were accepted by the UN General Assembly in December 2010. These rules mandate countries to establish non-imprisonment penalties and to provide women-specific consideration in prisons.

Children of Female Prisoners

An approximated 19,000 children dwell in incarceration centers with a parent, typically their mother, while many times that number are separated from them. Approximately 1.45 million children worldwide have a imprisoned parent.

In addition to the evident parting and related distress that a prison sentence can cause, it is frequent for a woman to be deprived of guardianship of her children after just a short time in prison.

Various states permit babies and young children to live in incarceration centers with their mothers up to a particular maturity level. Nonetheless, a childhood spent in prison can harm a young person both bodily and psychologically.