Number of candidates Number of candidates for the National Assembly by province 400 300 200 100 0 319 204 194 99 121 159 140 135 99 178 Provinces Fig 6: Number of candidates for the National Assembly elections by Province Analysis of Gender representation Zimbabwe is a signatory to a number of international treaties that require it to eliminate all barriers that prevent women from participating in the political sphere. The Convention on the Elimination of Discrimination Against Women (CEDAW) is one such instrument. Articles 3 and 7 of the CEDAW implore member states to take all necessary action including legislative to ensure the full development and advancement of women in all spheres including political participation. The African Union also clearly urges all states to take measures for equal representation in the political sphere. Article 9 of Protocol to the African Charter on Human and Peoples' Rights on the Rights of Women in Africa states that ‘States Parties shall take specific positive action to promote participative governance and the equal participation of women in the political life of their countries through affirmative action, enabling national legislation and other measures to ensure that: a) women participate without any discrimination in all elections; b) women are represented equally at all levels with men in all electoral processes…’ The constitution of Zimbabwe in the spirit of international conventions mandates the state to promote gender balance in all spheres of life. Section 17 states that the ‘state must promote full gender balance in Zimbabwean society’. Section 56 also states that women and men have the right to equal treatment including right to equal opportunities in political, economic, cultural and social spheres.’ However the Electoral Act is silent on the matter of women being equally represented in political spheres. Even though women’s groups have been calling for ZEC to reject political party lists which do not have 50 percent representation, ZEC made it clear that this was beyond their mandate. The representation of women in political parties remains low pointing to the lack of compliance with the Constitution and international conventions. For the 2018 harmonised elections, none of the contesting political parties attained 50-50 representation between males and females for the National Assembly elections. In fact, 91% and 90% of the candidates for the major contending parties, namely ZANU-PF and the MDC Alliance respectively, are male. In the interest of upholding the constitution and 7|Page