More than 733,000 women and girls are incarcerated worldwide, according to the latest statistics from the Institute for Crime and Justice Policy Research (ICPR).
According to the sixth edition of the World Female Imprisonment List released in early 2025, female imprisonment has increased dramatically since 2000, by about 57 per cent, while male incarceration has increased by 22 per cent over the same time period.
The US tops the list, published by the ICPR at Birkbeck, University of London, with over 174,607 women in jail. China comes in second with 145,000 female inmates, but Beijing's real figure could be higher because the statistics do not include women detained in administrative or pre-trial custody.
Other countries in the top five include Thailand (33,057), Brazil (50,441), and Russia (39,153). India comes at the sixth spot, the data reveals.
The Philippines (17,121), Turkey (16,581), Mexico (13,841), Indonesia (13,044), and Vietnam (15,152) were next on the list.
The number of female inmates per 100,000 people has increased over the past 25 years, even after accounting for typical population growth. El Salvador and Cambodia have had increases of more than six times, while Indonesia and Turkey have seen a rise of more than five times.
Women made up just 6.8 per cent of all inmates worldwide in 2024. Compared to males, however, their numbers are increasing rapidly.
The number of women and girls incarcerated has increased by about 60 per cent since 2000, approximately three times more than the roughly 22 per cent growth in the number of men incarcerated. Over 100,000 more women were incarcerated worldwide in the 10 years leading up to the end of 2020, the report stated.
Why the rise — and why it matters
Experts contend that the rise in numbers was owing to socioeconomic disparities: a large number of women are imprisoned for crimes associated with poverty, such as small-time larceny, failing to pay bail or fines, drug offences, or engaging in informal economic activity.
Furthermore, abortion, adultery, sexual immorality, and prostitution are all illegal in several nations, and these laws mostly impact women. These actions are often driven by survival rather than malicious intent, according to research by Penal Reform International, Women Beyond Walls, and the Global Campaign to Decriminalise Poverty and Status.
Incarcerated women are more likely than male inmates to suffer from mental health issues, sexual abuse, forced work, and significant disregard of their gender-specific needs, according to The Guardian.
Implications and calls for reform
Researchers and advocates caution that the sharp increase in women's incarceration is a "global crisis," highlighting the negative and frequently detrimental effects on women as well as their families and children.
Experts say there is a need for alternative, non-custodial penalties and more gender-sensitive justice systems because many people are imprisoned for non-violent or poverty-related offences.
