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Current Worldwide Female Prison Inmates

More than 733,000 women and girls are detained in penal institutions worldwide, based on recent investigations. This number covers both pre-trial detainees and individuals already convicted and sentenced. Experts believe the real number is significantly higher due to missing information from multiple countries.

Female inmates generally account for a minor proportion of national prison populations – usually between 2-9% on average. As of now, women and girls account for approximately 6.8% of the international inmate count. However, their figures are rising at a faster rate than male prisoners.

Over the past two decades, the number of women and girls in prison has increased by almost three-fifths – almost three times the growth observed in the incarcerated male demographic. The global female prison population rose by over 100,000 individuals during the decade-long span ending in 2020.

Primary Drivers Behind the Growth

Offenses committed by women are commonly associated with economic hardship and typically represent a method of sustenance to care for their dependents.

Detailed analysis has established that regulations typically outlaw essential livelihood measures and that women are unfairly targeted because they are over-represented among the lowest economic brackets of society. In various countries, laws penalizing abortion, adultery, sexual misconduct and prostitution disproportionately target 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 Largest Female Prison Populations

The America has the largest number of female prisoners with 174,607. China ranks second with 145,000, plus an unknown number of women and girls in remand imprisonment and "procedural custody. 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 the UK, there are 3,566 women in prison – representing 4% of the complete incarceration statistics. Forecasts show these numbers are predicted to increase 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 overall inmate demographic.

States with Major Growth in Female Prison Populations

Despite considering standard demographic increases over the past 25 years, the surge in the number of female prisoners per 100,000 people remains indicative of a remarkable increase. Cambodia and El Salvador have experienced more than sixfold increases, while Indonesia and Turkey have seen more than fivefold rises.

Women on Death Row

Current calculations 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 likewise the states that perform the highest number of executions in general, including China, Iran, Iraq and Saudi Arabia. According to current records, an unknown number of women were executed 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 countries that execute the most 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 main offenses for which women are sentenced to death are murder and drug trafficking. Countries with compulsory capital punishment for murder, or that fail to acknowledge gender-based violence as reducing factors, are prone to exhibit greater amounts of women on death row and frequent death sentences.

Furthermore, countries that strictly prohibit drug trafficking, such as those in the Gulf region and Asian southeast, have a substantial ratio of women on death row.

Appropriateness of Incarceration for Females

Various professionals and advocates contend that prison is inappropriate penalty for a substantial percentage of women who break the law. The majority are imprisoned for non-aggressive offenses; in England and Wales, for example, 72% of female prison admissions in 2020 belonged to this group. Women frequently experience a "repetitive cycle of limited imprisonment terms – inadequate duration to engage in meaningful education, training or work opportunities.

Up to 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 overall public, based on the global health authority.

In response to rising numbers of incarcerated women and a deficiency of regulations addressing their requirements, 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 mandate countries to develop non-custodial sanctions and to provide women-specific consideration in prisons.

Children of Female Prisoners

An estimated 19,000 children reside in correctional facilities with a parent, usually their mother, while many times that number are divided from their parents. Approximately 1.45 million children worldwide have a incarcerated mother.

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 stay in prison with their mothers up to a particular maturity level. Nonetheless, a early life in correctional facilities can harm a young person both bodily and psychologically.