Belgium was one of the last European countries to grant women equal access to the political process, but the country has since made significant progress in the advancement of women’s rights. In 2002, the Belgian constitution was amended, which guaranteed equality for women and included a parity clause imposing a 50–50 gender quota for every election. Female representation has steadily increased over the past two decades, with women holding 43 percent of positions in parliament. In 2019, Sophie Wilmès was elected the first female Prime Minister of Belgium and is currently the deputy prime minister and the country’s first female foreign minister. The 2021 Global Gender Gap Report, which measures economic participation and opportunity, educational attainment, health and survival, and political empowerment ranked Belgium 13th out of 156 countries. Along with advancing internal policies, Belgium has also shown a commitment to protecting women’s and girls’ human rights and fundamental freedoms throughout the EU.
Sport plays an integral role in Belgian society and the country has a strong tradition of successful female athletes and sports teams. Justine Henin and Kim Clijsters were both Women’s Tennis Association World No. 1 in the 2000s, winning seven and six grand slams respectively. The women’s national hockey team is currently ranked thirteenth in the world, and the women’s basketball team recently placed 3rd in the 2021 European Championship. Sports federations in Belgium have been active in their efforts to address gender inequality in sport by increasing the number of elite-level female coaches and women in decision-making positions.
Meet and support global leaders creating change in Belgium:
Caroline Lembe
How does Belgium compare to other countries?
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Women in Leadership
PERCENTAGE OF WOMEN IN PARLIAMENT AS OF 2020
43%
PERCENTAGE OF WOMEN IN MINISTRY POSITIONS AS OF 2020
25%
Has a Woman Ever Been Head of State or Head of Government?
Sophie Wilmès, 2019- 2020
HAS A WOMAN EVER BEEN SPORTS MINISTER?
Unknown
Title IX Timeline
1830 – 1831
The Belgium Revolution led to the secession from the Netherlands and the establishment of the independent Kingdom of Belgium.
1912
Claire Guttenstein became the first woman to represent Belgium in the Olympics.
1948
Micheline Lannoy became the first woman from Belgium to win an Olympic medal (gold - figure skating). Women gained the right to vote (full suffrage).
1960
Two athletes became the first women to represent Belgium in the Paralympics and one athlete became the first woman from Belgium to win a Paralympic medal (silver - archery). Some suspect the name of this athlete, Marc de Vos, is incorrectly listed in the IPC database.
1980
Belgium signed the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women (CEDAW).
1985
Belgium ratified CEDAW.
1999
Belgium signed the Optional Protocol to CEDAW.
2004
Belgium ratified the Optional Protocol to CEDAW.
2012
Belgium signed the UN Security Council Resolution 1325, affirming that peace and security efforts are more sustainable when women are equal partners in the prevention of violent conflict, the delivery of relief and recovery efforts and in the forging of lasting peace.
2019
Sophie Wilmès became the first female Prime Minister of Belgium.
Women in the olympics
participation through the years
-
47
-
29
-
14
-
33
-
59
-
49
-
68
-
93
-
57
Women in the Paralympics
participation through the years
-
8
-
9
-
26
-
15
-
8
-
21
-
8
Elite Sports Participation
First Year Women Participated In The Olympics
1912
Year Women’s Participation In Olympics Was Equal To Men’s
1984
First Time A Woman Won An Olympic Medal
Micheline Lannoy: 1948, Figure Skating (Gold)
First Year Women Participated In The Paralympics
1960
Year Women’s Participation In Paralympics Was Equal To Men’s
1964
First Time A Woman Won A Paralympic Medal
Name of Athlete Unknown: 1960, Archery (Silver)
FIFA
Fédération Internationale de Football Association
National Women’s Team?
Yes
First Year Of Play
1976
Pay Gap Comparison
Pay Unknown
Gender Initiatives
FIFA is committed to the growth and development of women’s football around the globe.
For More Information
FIBA
Fédération Internationale de Basketball
National Women’s Team?
Yes
First Year Of Play
1950
Pay Gap Comparison
Pay Unknown
Gender Initiatives
FIBA’s Her World, Her Rules project and social media campaign aims to promote women’s and girls’ participation in basketball throughout Europe.
Increasing the participation of women in basketball at all levels was named as one of FIBA’s eight strategic objectives (2019- 2027) and one of FIBA’s three strategic priorities (2019-2023).
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LOCAL
Sports
Initiatives
Major Regional Or Country Sport Initiatives
Community Organizations That Have Signed The Brighton + Helsinki Declaration
None
