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Current Global Female Prison Population

More than 733,000 women and girls are confined in prison systems globally, based on current investigations. This number encompasses both awaiting trial prisoners and those who have been found guilty and punished. Experts believe the actual total is substantially larger due to unavailable statistics from several states.

Females typically constitute a minor proportion of overall inmate numbers – commonly between 2-9% on average. Currently, women and girls represent approximately 6.8% of the international inmate count. However, their population is growing at a quicker pace than incarcerated men.

Over the past two decades, the female prison population in prison has expanded by approximately 60 percent – nearly thrice the increase observed in the male prison population. The global female prison population rose by over 100,000 individuals during the decade-long span ending in 2020.

Main Causes Behind the Rise

Offenses committed by women are commonly linked to poverty and usually serve as a means of survival to support their children and relatives.

Comprehensive research has found that laws often criminalize acts of survival and that women are unfairly targeted because they are over-represented among the poorest sectors of society. In various countries, laws criminalizing abortion, adultery, sexual misconduct and prostitution disproportionately target women. The likelihood of receiving a prison sentence is typically associated with poverty and the failure to afford fines for petty offenses or to arrange temporary freedom.

Nations with the Greatest Women Inmate Numbers

The US has the largest number of female prisoners with 174,607. China follows with 145,000, plus an uncertain quantity of women and girls in pre-trial detention and "procedural custody. Other significant 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 predicted to increase 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 total prison population.

Countries with Significant Increases in Female Prison Populations

Despite considering standard demographic increases 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. Cambodia and El Salvador have experienced increases exceeding 600%, while Turkey and Indonesia have seen more than fivefold rises.

Incarcerated Women Facing Execution

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

The states that carry out executions on the most women are likewise the states that perform the highest number of executions in general, including China, Iran, Iraq and Saudi Arabia. According to current records, an undetermined count of women were executed in China, while two received death sentences in Egypt, 30 in Iran, one in Iraq, nine in Saudi Arabia and two in Yemen.

No accurate data is available for countries that execute the most or for additional countries including North Korea, Vietnam and Qatar. Nonetheless, analysis is accessible regarding 15 other countries with the most women on death row.

The main offenses for which women are receiving execution orders are murder and drug trafficking. Countries with mandatory death penalties for murder, or that fail to acknowledge gender-based violence as reducing factors, are prone to exhibit higher numbers of women on death row and additional capital punishments.

Additionally, countries that severely criminalize drug trafficking, such as those in the Gulf region and Asian southeast, have a significant percentage of women on death row.

Appropriateness of Imprisonment for Women

Numerous specialists and activists contend that prison is inappropriate penalty for a substantial percentage of women who break the law. Many are jailed for non-aggressive offenses; in England and Wales, for example, 72% of female prison admissions in 2020 belonged to this group. Women frequently experience a "cyclical pattern of short prison sentences – inadequate duration to take part in meaningful education, training or work opportunities.

Approximately 80% of women in prison worldwide have an recognizable psychiatric disorder. In Europe, self-harm statistics for women in prison are nine times higher than for the general population, based on the global health authority.

In response to growing statistics of jailed women 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 oblige states to create alternative punishments and to guarantee female-appropriate care in prisons.

Offspring of Incarcerated Women

An approximated 19,000 children dwell in incarceration centers with a parent, most often their mother, while significantly more children are apart from their mothers. Approximately 1.45 million children worldwide have a imprisoned parent.

In addition to 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 limited duration in prison.

Various states permit babies and young children to live in incarceration centers with their mothers up to a specific age. Nonetheless, a youth experienced in incarceration can negatively affect a minor both in health and mental state.