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Current Worldwide Women Prison Population

Over 733,000 women and girls are detained in prison systems globally, according to recent analyses. This number covers both remand prisoners and those who have been convicted and sentenced. Researchers estimate the true count is much greater due to unavailable statistics from multiple nations.

Female inmates generally account for a small minority of overall inmate numbers – usually between 2-9% on average. As of now, women and girls comprise approximately 6.8% of the international inmate count. Nevertheless, their numbers are increasing at a quicker pace than male inmates.

Since the year 2000, the incarcerated females in prison has expanded by approximately 60 percent – roughly triple the increase observed in the incarcerated male demographic. The worldwide women inmate count rose by over 100,000 individuals during the ten-year interval ending in 2020.

Primary Drivers Behind the Increase

Female criminal activities are frequently connected to financial deprivation and typically represent a way to support themselves to provide for their families.

Detailed analysis has determined that legislation frequently penalizes basic sustenance activities and that women are unfairly targeted because they are disproportionately 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 frequently connected with poverty and the failure to afford fines for minor crimes or to obtain release.

States with the Largest Women Inmate Numbers

The US has the greatest quantity of female prisoners with 174,607. China ranks second with 145,000, plus an unknown number of women and girls in awaiting trial custody and "administrative detention". 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 complete incarceration statistics. Forecasts show these numbers are anticipated to grow to 4,200 by 2027. Across Europe, 94,472 women are presently incarcerated, while Australia reports 3,473 women in prison, representing approximately 8% of its total prison population.

Countries with Major Growth in Female Prison Populations

Even accounting for 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 remarkable increase. El Salvador and Cambodia have experienced more than sixfold increases, while Turkey and Indonesia have seen increases over five times.

Female Capital Punishment Cases

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 also the countries that carry out the most capital punishments in general, specifically China, Iran, Iraq and Saudi Arabia. According to recent documentation, an uncertain quantity of women were given capital punishment in China, while two received death sentences in Egypt, 30 in Iran, one in Iraq, nine in Saudi Arabia and two in Yemen.

Unreliable information is available for nations with highest execution rates or for nations like North Korea, Vietnam and Qatar. Nevertheless, analysis is obtainable concerning 15 other countries with the most women on death row.

The principal violations for which women are receiving execution orders are murder and drug trafficking. Countries with compulsory capital punishment for murder, or that refuse to consider gender-based violence as lessening conditions, are inclined to display increased quantities of women on death row and frequent death sentences.

Additionally, countries that severely criminalize drug trafficking, such as those in the Arabian Peninsula and Oriental southeast, have a substantial ratio of women on death row.

Appropriateness of Imprisonment for Women

Numerous specialists and advocates contend that prison is not a suitable punishment for a significant portion of women who commit crimes. The majority are imprisoned for non-violent crimes; in Britain, for example, 72% of female prison admissions in 2020 fit this category. Women frequently experience a "revolving door" of limited imprisonment terms – too brief to take part in meaningful education, training or work opportunities.

Approximately 80% of women in prison worldwide have an identifiable mental illness. In Europe, self-harm statistics for women in prison are nine times higher than for the wider community, as reported by the global health authority.

In answer to rising numbers of incarcerated women and a deficiency of regulations addressing their requirements, the International Women Prisoner Standards (known as the Bangkok Rules) were accepted by the UN General Assembly in December 2010. These rules mandate countries to develop non-custodial sanctions and to provide women-specific consideration in prisons.

Kids with Imprisoned Mothers

An estimated 19,000 children reside in correctional facilities with a parent, most often their mother, while significantly more children are divided from their parents. Approximately 1.45 million children worldwide have a imprisoned parent.

Apart from the clear division and associated suffering that a prison sentence can cause, it is frequent for a woman to forfeit parental rights of her children after just a brief period in prison.

Various states allow for babies and young children to remain in correctional facilities with their mothers up to a certain age. However, a youth experienced in incarceration can damage a child both in health and mental state.