The quota system for the National Assembly Elections provides for 60 women, 6 from each of the 10 provinces, to be elected through a system of proportional representation using provincial party lists, which reflect the votes cast in constituency elections. The remaining 210 National Assembly seats are elected through a first-past-the-post system. In the Senate, where 60 (out of a total of 80) seats are elected using the proportional representation party-list system, male and female candidates are required to be listed alternately, with every list being headed by a woman candidate. Following the 2013 elections, women made up 31.5 per cent of the National Assembly and 47.5 per cent of the Senate. The Zimbabwe Gender Commission (ZGC) was established in 2017 by law, under Section 245 of the 2013 Constitution. The commission’s mandate includes monitoring issues concerning gender equality, the investigation of complaints and violations, and promoting gender equality in public and private institutions. ZGC works closely with the Ministry of Women Affairs, Gender and Community Development and the ZEC, as well as several active gender-focused civil society groups in the country. Women’s participation in the 2018 Harmonised Elections Women’s participation as voters and polling officials was significantly higher compared to their political participation. Of the total registered voters, 54 per cent were women, and in most provinces, with the exception of Harare and Bulawayo, women made up more than 70 per cent of the voters roll according to projections by ZESN. Women actively participated in conducting the elections, serving at all levels, including as polling officials, presiding officers and constituency electoral officers. At the commission level, five of the nine ZEC commissioners were women, including the chairperson, Justice Priscilla Chigumba. The 2018 Harmonised Elections marked the first time women stood as presidential candidates. Of the 23 presidential candidates, four (representing 17 per cent of the total) were women, namely:     Dzapasi Melbah, 1980 Freedom Movement Zimbabwe Khupe Thokozani, Movement for Democratic Change (T) Mariyacha Violet, United Democratic Movement Mujuru Joice Teurairopa, People’s Rainbow Coalition Overall, there was a notable lack of gender equality with respect to the number of women who stood as candidates for office across all three elections. Under the quota system, women were guaranteed 30 per cent of parliamentary seats in the 2018 elections, but this expires after the life of the incoming ninth parliament (until 2023). The ZGC and others were campaigning for the quota system to be extended, or negotiated in Parliament every five years before its expiration. 24