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Decline in 1990s
The total number of MPs in the world (single and lower chambers) is 34,306, of whom 3,737, or 11% are women. This proportion is influenced by the higher rates in some countries with large parliaments, such as China's with its total membership of nearly 3,000. When rates instead of numbers are tallied, the world average slips to 9%. There are still a few countries - including Bahrain, Kuwait, and the United Arab Emirates - where women can neither stand for election nor vote. Women have recently been elected to parliament for the first time in Jordan (1 woman out of 80 MPs) and Morocco (2 out of 333).
Source: United Nations `Human resources management report of the Secretary General', 17 October, 1994.