INTRODUCTION
Women face challenges in political parties, council and parliamentary elections.
The legal framework and legislation governing elections and the process of
getting elected into council and parliament in Zimbabwe is described, based on
the views of women from political parties. The legal, political and social
obstacles encountered by women in their quest for election in councils,
parliament and senate are described. The paper suggests ways of increasing
women's participation in local government, parliament and senate.
BACKGROUND
The constitution of Zimbabwe, in articles 17 and 18, the state has a duty to
ensure full gender balance in Zimbabwean society, the full participation of
women in all spheres of society and in all institutions and agencies of
government including Commissions and other elective and appointed
governmental bodies established by or under the constitution or any Act of
Parliament. Furthermore, Section 120 enunciates the 50/50 system for gender
representation in the Senate. Section 124 allows proportional representation of
six women in each of the ten provinces on the basis of votes garnered by each
party. The other 210 seats are by secret ballot and are not guided by any rules
relating to gender.
RESEARCH FINDINGS
Women mentioned fear of violence and victimisation particularly during
elections, as an impediment to their participation as candidates in the electoral
process.
Women also cited their lack of education relative to the men who contested
against them in elections. This eroded women's confidence from the beginning
and was evident even during the research as some were reluctant to participate
in discussion due to self-consciousness and fear of retribution from their parties.
Women felt intimidated by their male counterparts. For example, married
women said even in church elections, they were answerable to their spouses
and feigned illness rather than accept leadership posts.
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