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Current Worldwide Women Prison Population

More than 733,000 women and girls are detained in prison systems globally, based on recent investigations. This figure encompasses both remand prisoners and those who have been convicted and sentenced. Experts believe the true count is much greater due to incomplete data from numerous nations.

Females typically constitute a limited percentage of correctional system demographics – usually between 2-9% on average. Presently, women and girls comprise approximately 6.8% of the international inmate count. Nevertheless, their population is growing at a more rapid tempo than male prisoners.

Over the past two decades, the number of women and girls in prison has grown by nearly 60% – roughly triple the growth observed in the incarcerated male demographic. The international incarcerated women statistics increased by more than 100,000 individuals during the decade-long span ending in 2020.

Main Causes Behind the Growth

Offenses committed by women are frequently connected to financial deprivation and often constitute a means of survival to care for their dependents.

Comprehensive research has found that legislation frequently penalizes basic sustenance activities and that women are unfairly targeted because they are more commonly found among the poorest sectors of society. In various countries, laws criminalizing abortion, adultery, sexual misconduct and prostitution primarily impact women. The probability of getting a prison sentence is frequently connected with poverty and the lack of resources for fines for small infractions or to secure bail.

Nations with the Highest Women Inmate Numbers

The US has the greatest quantity of female prisoners with 174,607. China follows with 145,000, plus an undetermined count of women and girls in remand imprisonment 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 the UK, there are 3,566 women in prison – representing 4% of the complete incarceration statistics. Forecasts show these numbers are predicted to increase to 4,200 by 2027. Across Europe, 94,472 women are currently detained, while Australia reports 3,473 women in prison, amounting to approximately 8% of its overall inmate demographic.

Nations with Significant Increases in Incarcerated Women Statistics

Even accounting for standard demographic increases over the previous two-and-a-half decades, the surge in the number of female prisoners per 100,000 people remains indicative of a significant growth. These two nations have experienced increases exceeding 600%, while Indonesia and Turkey have seen increases over five times.

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 countries that execute the most women are likewise the states that perform the highest number of executions in general, specifically China, Iran, Iraq and Saudi Arabia. Based on latest reports, an unknown number of women were put to death 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 nations like North Korea, Vietnam and Qatar. However, analysis is accessible regarding 15 other countries with the highest numbers of females 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 fail to acknowledge gender-based violence as reducing factors, are inclined to display higher numbers of women on death row and more executions.

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

Suitability of Prison for Women

Numerous specialists and activists maintain that prison is inappropriate penalty for a large number of women who commit crimes. Most are incarcerated for non-aggressive offenses; in England and Wales, for example, 72% of female prison admissions in 2020 fit this category. Women frequently experience a "cyclical pattern of short prison sentences – insufficiently long to participate in meaningful education, training or work opportunities.

Approximately 80% of women in prison worldwide have an identifiable mental illness. In Europe, suicide rates for women in prison are nine times higher than for the wider community, according to the WHO.

In reaction to rising numbers of imprisoned females and a absence of guidelines considering their circumstances, the United Nations Female Inmate Guidelines (known as the Bangkok Rules) were adopted by the UN General Assembly in December 2010. These rules mandate countries to establish non-imprisonment penalties and to ensure gender-sensitive treatment in prisons.

Offspring of Incarcerated Women

An approximated 19,000 children live in prison with a parent, most often their mother, while significantly more children are divided from their parents. Approximately 1.45 million children worldwide have a incarcerated mother.

Besides the clear division and associated suffering that a prison sentence can cause, it is not uncommon for a woman to forfeit parental rights of her children after just a brief period in prison.

Numerous nations make provision for babies and young children to stay in prison with their mothers up to a specific age. However, a youth experienced in incarceration can harm a young person both physically and emotionally.