Worldwide Female Imprisonment Data and Death Row Figures

Present Global Women Prison Population

More than 733,000 women and girls are currently held in correctional facilities worldwide, according to current investigations. This figure covers both remand prisoners and those who have been found guilty and punished. Researchers estimate the true count is much greater due to missing information from multiple countries.

Female inmates generally account for a minor proportion of overall inmate numbers – commonly between 2-9% on average. Currently, women and girls comprise approximately 6.8% of the world's incarcerated individuals. Nonetheless, their population is growing at a faster rate than male inmates.

Over the past two decades, the incarcerated females in prison has grown by nearly 60% – nearly thrice the growth observed in the male inmate numbers. The worldwide women inmate count increased by more than 100,000 individuals during the ten-year interval ending in 2020.

Primary Drivers Behind the Rise

Offenses committed by women are frequently associated with economic hardship and often constitute a method of sustenance to care for their dependents.

Extensive studies has determined that laws often criminalize essential livelihood measures and that women are unfairly targeted because they are over-represented among the poorest sectors of society. In various countries, laws prohibiting abortion, adultery, sexual misconduct and prostitution primarily impact women. The chance of being given a prison sentence is typically associated with poverty and the inability to pay fines for petty offenses 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 undetermined count of women and girls in awaiting trial custody and "bureaucratic confinement. Additional major sources 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 anticipated to grow to 4,200 by 2027. Across Europe, 94,472 women are currently detained, while Australia reports 3,473 women in prison, representing approximately 8% of its total prison population.

Countries with Major Growth in Women Inmate Numbers

Despite considering typical population expansion over the previous two-and-a-half decades, the increase in the number of female prisoners per 100,000 people remains indicative of a substantial rise. These two nations have experienced more than sixfold increases, while Indonesia and Turkey have seen growth exceeding 500%.

Incarcerated Women Facing Execution

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

The nations that put to death the most women are similarly the nations 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 nations with highest execution rates or for nations like North Korea, Vietnam and Qatar. Nonetheless, analysis is accessible regarding 15 other countries with the most women on death row.

The principal violations 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 lessening conditions, are prone to exhibit higher numbers of women on death row and frequent death sentences.

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

Suitability of Incarceration for Females

Various professionals and activists contend that prison is unsuitable sanction for a significant portion of women who commit crimes. Most are incarcerated for non-violent crimes; in the UK, for example, 72% of female prison admissions in 2020 belonged to this group. Women commonly face a "revolving door" of short prison sentences – too brief to participate in meaningful education, training or work opportunities.

As many as 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, based on the global health authority.

In response to increasing figures of incarcerated women 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 oblige states to develop non-custodial sanctions and to provide women-specific consideration in prisons.

Offspring of Incarcerated Women

An approximated 19,000 children reside in correctional facilities with a parent, usually their mother, while a much larger quantity are divided from their parents. Approximately 1.45 million children worldwide have a imprisoned parent.

Apart from the obvious separation and connected hardship that a prison sentence can cause, it is quite common 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. Nevertheless, a childhood spent in prison can harm a young person both physically and emotionally.