Human Rights
Women's Right to Vote by Country 2026
Women Have Right to Vote
Yes
No
Women Have Right to Vote
167 countries
- All modern countries that were previously part of Yugoslavia (Serbia, Montenegro, Croatia, Slovenia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Kosovo, and North Macedonia) introduced female voting in 1945.
- Czechia and Slovakia were part of Czechoslovakia when the country granted voting rights to women in 1920.
Snapshot
-
As of 2026, women have the legal right to vote in nearly every country in the world, with Afghanistan, Eritrea, and Vatican City as notable exceptions.
-
Most countries granted women suffrage during the 20th century, particularly between 1915 and 1950, often following major wars or independence movements.
-
In many countries, women initially received restricted voting rights before achieving full universal suffrage equal to men.
Women's Suffrage The legal right of women to vote in elections. In many countries, suffrage was introduced gradually, often beginning with local or restricted voting before full national equality.
Universal Suffrage The right of all adult citizens to vote without restrictions based on gender, race, literacy, property ownership, or social status.
Restricted Suffrage Voting rights granted with limitations, such as age thresholds, literacy requirements, property ownership, or racial exclusions. Many countries initially granted women restricted suffrage before full equality.
As of 2026, nearly every country in the world grants women the right to vote, with only three exceptions: Afghanistan, Eritrea, and Vatican City. In Afghanistan, women were historically granted suffrage but have effectively lost that right following the Taliban’s return to power in 2021. Eritrea does not hold national elections at all, despite gaining independence in 1993. Vatican City, an absolute elective monarchy governed by the Catholic Church, does not conduct popular elections and therefore does not grant voting rights to women or men.
The first territory to give women the right to vote was the Pitcairn Islands in 1838. In 1840, the Kingdom of Hawaii extended voting rights to women, though Hawaii later became a United States territory. Several other jurisdictions followed during the nineteenth century, including the Isle of Man, the Cook Islands, and New Zealand, which became the first self-governing country to grant women national suffrage in 1893.
Countries that Gave Women the Right to Vote in the 20th Century
The vast majority of countries gave women the right to vote in the 20th century. One of the first ones to do so was Australia, which gave women the right to vote in 1902; however, indigenous populations did not get the right to vote until 1962. Finland gave women the right to vote in 1906, and Canada followed suit in 1917. The end of World War 1 was a big year for women, as several major countries gave women the right to vote around this time. These include Germany, Austria, Ukraine, Russia, the Netherlands, Belgium, and the United Kingdom.
Factors that Pushed Countries To Give Women the Right to Vote
Women gaining the right to vote happened in waves. There are several reasons why women gain the right to vote at different times. Major wars were certainly a driver of giving women the right to vote, as World War I pushed the majority of countries on Earth to at least consider giving women the right to vote. Social movements and cultural diffusion also gave women the right to vote, as did the calculations of various major political parties, all of whom viewed winning the support of women as a way to hold onto power. Even though different countries have different reasons for giving women the right to vote, there are a few common themes across the world.
The Impacts of Giving Women the Right to Vote
Giving women the right to vote has been viewed as a clear and lasting positive. In many countries, expanding voting rights helped bring everyday concerns—such as family welfare, education, and healthcare—into the political conversation, and periods of economic growth often followed, alongside broader social and economic changes. In addition, social support became significantly stronger after women were given the right to vote, as countries began paying more attention to the needs of groups that had long been overlooked. Finally, giving women the right to vote has also encouraged more people to feel invested in civic life and public decision-making. When more people have a voice, the government does a better job of advocating for the advancement of everyone instead of just a select few.
