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Current Global Women Prison Inmates

In excess of 733,000 women and girls are confined in correctional facilities worldwide, as reported by latest analyses. This figure includes both pre-trial detainees and individuals already convicted and sentenced. Researchers estimate the actual total is substantially larger due to missing information from multiple states.

Female inmates generally account for a small minority of national prison populations – commonly between 2-9% on average. As of now, women and girls represent approximately 6.8% of the world's incarcerated individuals. Nevertheless, their numbers are increasing at a quicker pace than male prisoners.

Since the year 2000, the number of women and girls in prison has increased by almost three-fifths – almost three times the increase observed in the male prison population. The global female prison population increased by more than 100,000 individuals during the decade-long span ending in 2020.

Primary Drivers Behind the Increase

Women's lawbreaking are commonly linked to poverty and often constitute a method of sustenance to provide for their families.

Comprehensive research has found that laws often criminalize essential livelihood measures and that women are unfairly targeted because they are more commonly found among the most impoverished segments of society. In many countries, laws prohibiting abortion, adultery, sexual misconduct and prostitution primarily impact women. The probability of getting a prison sentence is frequently connected with poverty and the failure to afford fines for small infractions or to arrange temporary freedom.

Countries with the Highest Women Inmate Numbers

The America has the greatest quantity of female prisoners with 174,607. China comes next with 145,000, plus an unknown number of women and girls in awaiting trial custody and "bureaucratic confinement. Further substantial 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 total prison population. Forecasts show these numbers are anticipated to grow to 4,200 by 2027. Across Europe, 94,472 women are currently imprisoned, while Australia reports 3,473 women in prison, constituting approximately 8% of its overall inmate demographic.

Countries with Significant Increases in Female Prison Populations

Despite considering typical population expansion over the previous two-and-a-half decades, the rise in the number of female prisoners per 100,000 people remains indicative of a significant growth. El Salvador and Cambodia have experienced increases exceeding 600%, while Turkey and Indonesia have seen growth exceeding 500%.

Female Capital Punishment Cases

Present approximations 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 similarly the nations that perform the highest number of executions in general, including China, Iran, Iraq and Saudi Arabia. Based on recent documentation, an uncertain quantity of women were executed in China, while two faced execution in Egypt, 30 in Iran, one in Iraq, nine in Saudi Arabia and two in Yemen.

Unreliable information is available for states with most frequent capital punishment or for additional countries including North Korea, Vietnam and Qatar. However, analysis is available for 15 other countries with the largest quantities of women on death row.

The two primary crimes 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 reducing factors, are prone to exhibit increased quantities of women on death row and frequent death sentences.

Moreover, countries that strictly prohibit drug trafficking, such as those in the Arabian Peninsula and southeast Asia, have a significant percentage of women on death row.

Appropriateness of Incarceration for Females

Numerous specialists and activists contend that prison is inappropriate penalty for a significant portion of women who break the law. Most are incarcerated for peaceful violations; 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 – too brief to take part in meaningful education, training or work opportunities.

As many as 80% of women in prison worldwide have an identifiable mental illness. In Europe, self-destruction numbers for women in prison are nine times higher than for the overall public, as reported by the World Health Organization.

In answer to increasing figures of incarcerated 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 establish non-imprisonment penalties and to guarantee female-appropriate care in prisons.

Children of Female Prisoners

An approximated 19,000 children live in prison with a parent, most often their mother, while a much larger quantity are separated from them. Approximately 1.45 million children worldwide have a imprisoned parent.

Besides the evident parting and associated suffering that a prison sentence can cause, it is not uncommon for a woman to be deprived of guardianship of her children after just a short time in prison.

Various states permit babies and young children to remain in correctional facilities with their mothers up to a specific age. Nevertheless, a early life in correctional facilities can harm a young person both in health and mental state.