Only 2% of philanthropic dollars go to women and girls and a small fraction of that goes toward improving women’s political leadership. No wonder we’re stuck in neutral, if not going in reverse, with the battle for women’s autonomy and equality.
In 2026, only 28 countries are led by a woman head of state or government. More than 100 countries have never had a woman leader. Women hold just 22.4% of cabinet positions and 27.5% of parliamentary seats worldwide.
For decades, philanthropy has talked about women’s empowerment. But the global leadership numbers suggest that political power — the place where laws and budgets are decided — remains dramatically underfunded territory for gender equality philanthropy.
Many philanthropic investments focus on services for women rather than power for women. Maternal health, reproductive health, girls’ education, microfinance, gender-based violence prevention — all important missions for women’s rights. But few of these areas of charitable investment have the capacity to move the needle on political power.
There is little doubt that politics is a hostile environment for women. The new Women in Politics report from the Inter-Parliamentary Union states that 76% of women globally report being harassed or intimidated by the public. That fact is both a verifying data point about misogyny as well as a clear mandate for more women’s leadership, in order to challenge the global culture of domination and abuse.
The 70th Session of the Commission on the Status of Women, currently happening, offers an important moment for governments, civil society, and philanthropic actors to reflect on where progress has been made — and where momentum has stalled.
Women around the world continue to step forward as leaders, organizers, and advocates for their communities. The question now is whether the institutions that shape our societies — including philanthropy — will invest at the scale needed to ensure that women’s voices are fully represented where the most consequential decisions are made.
Bottom line: the women’s political leadership pipeline remains underfunded.
The Funding Call to Action for Women in Politics
Funders must: fund women candidate at all stages of the process of getting elected. They must also fund protections for women who serve in politics. And they must fund organizations pushing for structural changes that make our political systems more representative.
Progress is possible. Fourteen countries have achieved gender parity in cabinet leadership, demonstrating that equal representation is not an abstract goal but a practical reality when the right policies and commitments are in place. Measures such as electoral quotas, leadership development programs, and strong political party commitments have helped accelerate this change in several regions.
Until women hold equal political power, progress on every other issue — from equal pay to reproductive rights — will remain fragile.
The question for philanthropy is no longer whether women deserve equal representation. The question is whether funders are willing to invest in the power required to achieve it.
