Representation of women in decision-making processes remains low in all three Baltic states

RIGA - Representation of women in decision-making processes remains low in all three Baltic states, the Central Statistical Bureau (CSB) informs.

Out of 100 members in the current parliament of Latvia (Saeima) women account for 16. Women representation in the parliament of Lithuania (Seimas) is higher – 30 out of 141 members (21 percent), whereas the proportion of women in the parliament of Estonia (Riigikogu) is even more larger – 27 females out of 101 members (27 percent).

Representation of women in government is similar in all three Baltic countries. In the Cabinet of Ministers of Latvia currently there are three female ministers out of 14 (21 percent), in the government of Lithuania – three out of 15 (20 percent) and in the government of Estonia – four out of 15 (27 percent).

In the last local government election held in Latvia, females accounted for 31 percent of the persons elected, regardless of the fact that women constituted 41 percent and men 59 percent of the total candidate number. Representation of women in the number of local government members in Estonia is equal to that in Latvia (31 percent), while in Lithuania it is lower – 25 percent. In 2005, Lithuanian and Estonian indicator was somewhat similar to that recorded now, whereas in Latvia it was 11 percentage points higher.

The data on 2016 indicate the largest share of female ambassadors and heads of missions in Latvia and Estonia – 32 percent, Lithuania follows with 26 percent. Since 2005, the Lithuanian indicator has grown significantly – by 17 percentage points, compared to the rise of six percentage points in Estonia and of three percentage points in Latvia.

In 2015, women in the national police and national border guard offices of all three Baltic countries accounted for approximately one third of the total employee number – 37 percent in Latvia, 36 percent in Lithuania and 34 percent in Estonia. Over the decade, the indicator has increased notably in Lithuania (by 15 percentage points) and Latvia (by 14 percentage points), while in Estonia females constituted 33 percent of the police structural unit employees already in 2005.

In 2015, the largest proportion of women working under the judicial system was observed in Latvia (78 percent), followed by 63 percent in Estonia and 61 percent in Lithuania. The Latvian and Lithuanian indicators have risen by seven percentage points since 2005.

The largest share of women is employed in the Estonian prosecutor's office – 71 percent in 2015, compared to 62 percent in Latvia and 50 percent in Lithuania.