One‑third of UN states had woman leaders

A Pew Research Center analysis finds that 63 of the 193 United Nations member states (about one‑third) have at some point had a woman serve as head of government, with the first case in 1960 and steady growth since 1990. As of March 2026, 13 countries have women currently serving as head of government, and 10 of those are the first-ever female holders of that office for their country. — This factoid frames how far gender representation in top political office has come and where progress remains uneven, affecting debates on political inclusion, policy priorities, and symbolic legitimacy.