Progress and Growing Populations

The Population Reference Bureau (PRB) annually produces global demographic data, covering more than 200 countries. This year PRB has shifted the focus and now includes indicators on the status of women in sectors such as education, employment, and government.

The data assesses the demographics of current populations, offering insights and predictions for 2050. For example, Papua New Guinea’s population is expected to almost double from 7.7 million to 14.2 million in 2050. According to the “2015 women’s empowerment indicators”, 34% of females are enrolled in secondary school, and 3% of Parliament Members in Papua New Guinea are women. Improving women’s leadership is dependent on improvement in these areas. IWDA’s partnerships and Funding Leadership and Opportunities for Women program is dedicated to working with women as active agents of change to ensure that the figures in 2050 are closer to parity.