STUDY HIGHLIGHTS CHALLENGES FACING WOMEN IN POLITICS IN ZAMBIA
Lusaka, Sunday (December 29, 2024)
MEDIA STATEMENT
Research by Janet Mundando under the Southern African Institute for Policy and Research (SAIPAR) has detailed challenges hampering the participation of women in politics in Zambia, resulting in their underrepresentation.
Ms Mundando noted that despite women making up half of the world’s population, they are significantly underrepresented in decision-making positions.
She made the findings at a community round table meeting organised by Southern African Institute for Policy and Research (SAIPAR) Muna Ndulo Campus in Lusaka supported by the Irish Embassy.
“Globally, women hold only 27% of parliamentary seats and 5-6% in local governments,” she said.
She emphasised the need for meaningful participation, where women contest electoral offices rather than just supporting roles like dancing at airports or cooking at political gatherings.
Ms. Mundando pointed out that women face multiple forms of inequality, which compound their challenges.
She mentioned that women often juggle numerous responsibilities, such as being mothers, wives, and students, which adds to their burdens.
The Researcher referenced the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination Against Women (CEDAW) of 1979 and the Beijing Declaration of 1995 as significant milestones in the fight for gender equality.
“In Zambia, the National Gender Policy of 2014 and the Gender Equity and Equality Act of 2015 were highlighted as key legislative frameworks. Despite these efforts, women remain underrepresented in various sectors, except for the judiciary and banking, where some progress has been made. In the current parliament, women’s representation stands at 15%, lower than the 17% in 2016,” she said.
Ms. Mundando provided a historical overview of women’s representation in the Zambian parliament since 1991, showing fluctuations over the years.
She noted that the judiciary has been more responsive to gender equality, with a significant number of women judges in the Supreme Court, Constitutional Court, and High Court.
Ms Mundando identified several challenges to women’s political participation, including social, cultural, institutional, and political factors.
She cited patriarchy, financial constraints, and political violence as major barriers.
Ms. Mundando stressed the need for an electoral system that supports gender quotas and more inclusive representation.
She concluded by acknowledging the ongoing fight for gender equality and the need for continued efforts to improve women’s representation in politics.