New study reveals 60% of women MPs from Asia-Pacific report online gender-based violence

New joint IPU, CPA and AIPA report has exposed the pervasive nature of sexism, harassment and violence against women in Parliaments across several CPA Regions (Asia, South-East Asia, Australia and Pacific Regions)

Commonwealth Women Parliamentarians (CWP) have contributed to a major new study by the Inter-Parliamentary Union (IPU), in partnership with the Commonwealth Parliamentary Association (CPA) and the ASEAN Inter-Parliamentary Assembly (AIPA), which has exposed the pervasive nature of sexism, harassment and violence against women in Parliaments across several CPA Regions (Asia, South-East Asia, Australia and Pacific Regions).

The report, ‘Sexism, harassment and violence against women in Parliaments in the Asia-Pacific Region’, is based on confidential interviews with 150 women Parliamentarians and parliamentary staff from 33 countries. The study highlights the alarming increase in online gender-based violence compared to the rates reported in previous studies undertaken by the IPU.

The report reveals the following key findings:

• 60% of women Parliamentarians surveyed have been targeted by hate speech, disinformation, image-based abuse or unwanted disclosure of personal data (doxing) online. This is the highest rate for this type of abuse (compared to other IPU regional studies).
• 76% of women Parliamentarians and 63% of parliamentary staff have experienced psychological violence.
• Sexual violence is also prevalent, with 25% of women Parliamentarians and 36% of parliamentary staff reporting such incidents.
• Economic violence or damage to women’s belongings has affected 24% of women Parliamentarians and 27% of parliamentary staff, while physical violence was reported by 13% and 5% respectively.

According to the study, certain groups – women under 40, women from minority backgrounds and unmarried women – face disproportionately higher rates of violence. Opposition women MPs also report higher rates of psychological and sexual violence.

In addition, the research found that more than half of the incidents of sexual harassment against women MPs took place on parliamentary premises and were committed by male Parliamentarians. However, for the women MPs in the study, 85% of cases of online attacks, 59% of threats and 45% of psychological harassment come from the public.

Positive steps forward

Several Parliaments in the Regions covered by the report have begun to take positive steps to prevent and respond to gender-based violence, through confidential reporting mechanisms and support services. Examples include both Commonwealth (Australia, Fiji, India, Maldives, New Zealand and Sri Lanka) and non-Commonwealth jurisdictions (Philippines, Republic of Korea and Thailand).

The Commonwealth Women Parliamentarians (CWP) network has also been campaigning to prevent gender-based violence (GBV) and has held several workshops to promote legislative reforms aimed at strengthening gender-based laws within Commonwealth Parliaments as well as encouraging MP-led community initiatives to combat GBV at a local level.

The CWP network has also been working with international partners such as the IPU and UN Women to address the issue of violence in politics, including tackling harassment and online abuse targeting women leaders.

CPA Secretary-General, Stephen Twigg, said:

“Sexism, violence and harassment against women in politics have a negative impact on the lives of women Parliamentarians, parliamentary staff, their families and communities. Parliaments have a duty to show leadership and set an exemplary standard for society. We are determined to work together to empower Parliaments by providing relevant resources to ensure a zero-tolerance approach to all forms of gender-based violence.”

IPU Secretary-General, Martin Chungong, said:

"Violence and sexism against women in politics is a direct assault on democracy itself. The courageous women who have come forward to denounce abuse deserve our unwavering support. Parliaments must be sanctuaries for healthy debate and law-making. We have the tools to support them. It is our responsibility to foster a political climate where women can thrive without the shadow of violence."

AIPA Secretary-General, Siti Rozaimeriyanty Dato Haji Abdul Rahman, said:

“Violence against women in politics remains a significant barrier to their full and meaningful participation, affecting the inclusivity of governance. Addressing these challenges requires proactive measures from political institutions to foster a safe and supportive environment where women can engage without fear or constraint. Creating an enabling and secure space for women in politics is not just about fairness - it requires a shared commitment, not only within Parliaments but also across political institutions, to build more inclusive and forward-looking governance that benefits society as a whole.”

To read the full report, ‘Sexism, harassment and violence against women in Parliaments in the Asia-Pacific Region’, please click here.

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The Commonwealth Parliamentary Association (CPA) is an international community of 180 Parliaments at national, state, provincial and territorial level working together to deepen the Commonwealth’s commitment to the highest standards of democratic governance. The Commonwealth Women Parliamentarians (CWP) network within the CPA represents over 6,000 Women Parliamentarians and campaigns to increase the number of women elected representatives in Legislatures and helps Parliaments to become gender-sensitive institutions.

The Inter-Parliamentary Union (IPU) is the global organisation of national Parliaments. It was founded in 1889 as the first multilateral political organization in the world, encouraging cooperation and dialogue between all nations. Today, the IPU comprises 181 national Member Parliaments and 15 regional parliamentary bodies. It promotes peace, democracy and sustainable development. It helps Parliaments become stronger, younger, greener, more innovative and gender-balanced. It also defends the human rights of Parliamentarians through a dedicated committee made up of MPs from around the world. Visit www.ipu.org for more information.

The ASEAN Inter-Parliamentary Assembly (AIPA) is the sole parliamentary organisation associated to the Association of the Southeast Asia Nations (ASEAN). AIPA currently consists of 10 Member Parliaments from ASEAN Member States and 25 Observer Parliaments from national and supranational Parliament around the globe. Established in 1977, AIPA aims to promote inter-parliamentary cooperation among ASEAN Member States, other Parliaments and parliamentary organisations and to facilitate the achievement of the goals of ASEAN. Visit www.aipasecretariat.org.