NGOCC SAYS 63 WOMEN IN NATIONAL ASSEMBLY NOT ENOUGH TO ACHIEVE GENDER PARITY
By Nelson Zulu & Joseph Kaputula
The Non-Governmental Gender Organizations’ Coordinating Council -NGOCC- says despite the National Assembly having 63 seats for women after the election of 40 seats under the Proportional Representation system, women’s participation remains below gender parity.
NGOCC Executive Director Annie Anamela says the 63 female members of Parliament, comprising 26 women allocated seats under the PR system and 34 elected MPs, together with the Vice President, Speaker and Deputy Speaker, represent 22.4 percent of the 281-member National Assembly.
Ms. Anamela says the figure may increase once the Lumezi North and Mandevu parliamentary by-elections are concluded and the appointment of six of the 11 remaining presidential nominees.
She says although the increase represents progress from 15 percent in 2021 and the previous high of 18 percent recorded in 2016, women remain significantly underrepresented, particularly considering that the size of the National Assembly has increased from 168 to 281 seats.
Meanwhile, Governance Expert and Human Rights Advocate Wesley Miyanda says the introduction of the Proportional Representation system is a significant step towards giving women, youths and people with disabilities greater representation in Parliament.
Mr. Miyanda says the nomination of members of Parliament from different political backgrounds demonstrates the wider representation created by the system.
PHOENIX NEWS