Diminished representation of women in leadership roles during elections dims hopes of girl child

By Calvin Manhika

In the midst of ongoing endeavours to mobilise and empower women for active political participation, especially with the imminent elections this year, persistent concerns continue to revolve around the striking gender imbalance within political processes.

This discrepancy becomes all the more evident when comparing the participation levels of women to their male counterparts.

As Zimbabwe gears up for its harmonised elections set to take place on August 23, a mere week away, numerous young girls interviewed by Besana Mail have voiced growing apprehensions over this glaring issue. Many high school girls not only grasp the significance of elections but also nurture hopes for a more equitable representation of their gender in the political sphere.

Sibongile, a high school student, shared her insights on the unfair representation of female candidates in electoral political processes.

“This marks the second time I’m closely monitoring elections. Unfortunately, women’s participation continues to remain disproportionately low. This directly translates to an inadequate representation of us females. Many issues demand perspectives from the affected group or those directly involved,” said Sibongile.

Within the Zimbabwean parliament, an array of issues concerning girls, including aspects like marriage, the educational rights of pregnant girls, human trafficking, and sexual reproductive health, have come to the forefront. Worth noting is the fact that several of the regulations favouring girl children required intervention from Civil Society groups through petitions and dedicated advocacy efforts to be actualized.

In the lead-up to the 2023 elections, the Zimbabwe Gender Commission has taken a proactive stride by establishing a Gender Observatory. This initiative aims to meticulously monitor the gender inclusivity embedded within the electoral processes. This collaborative endeavour enlists the participation of more than 15 institutions from various sectors, spanning civil society, government bodies, independent commissions, and the security sector.

Margret Mukahanana Sangarwe, Chairperson of the Zimbabwe Gender Commission, underscored the Observatory’s paramount significance during its official inauguration.

“The Gender Observatory will meticulously document pivotal gender-related issues throughout the electoral cycle, particularly in the forthcoming 2023 harmonised elections. Its mission is to uncover gaps and propose strategic interventions that address discernible gender disparities. Furthermore, it will conduct an exhaustive gender analysis of the electoral process, thereby fortifying the integrity of governance procedures,” said Sangarwe.

Despite the presence of progressive legislation, women continue to face underrepresentation in both Parliament and local authorities. Although women make up 52 percent of the country’s population, the 2018 general election results indicated that merely 48 percent of Senators and a meagre 31.5 percent of Members of the National Assembly were women – a reality that prevails despite the allocation of 60 seats reserved for women under the party-list system. Remarkably, a mere 11.9 percent of constituency Members of the National Assembly were women.

Post the 2022 by-elections, only five women managed to secure victory out of the 28 parliamentary seats that were contested. Similarly, local government elections witnessed a mere 19 women elected to councils, in stark contrast to 103 men.

Thabiso, a lower 6 student, astutely observed that the inadequate presence of women in leadership roles significantly obstructs the discourse around pertinent issues:.

“Elevating women’s participation in decision-making is an indispensable stride towards achieving gender parity. Regrettably, negative perceptions taint women politicians. In Hwange and other locales, it’s evident that women engaging in political activities confront stigmatisation and invasive scrutiny of their private lives. While some male politicians exploit girls of our age, they largely evade the same scrutiny. This glaring inequality is unjust,” lamented Thabiso.

Despite the well-intentioned reservation of special parliamentary seats for women and their counterparts in local authority councils, an unintended consequence has emerged in the form of dampened women’s participation in constituency and ward elections. Often, male-dominated political parties expect their women candidates to vie for the reserved seats, while the traditional constituency and ward seats predominantly remain the domain of men.

In the ongoing presidential race, Elizabeth Valerio emerged as the sole female candidate, securing her candidacy in the eleventh hour. Conversely, Linda Masarira faced technical roadblocks and did not secure her place. This marks a significant decline from the four women who contested the previous election in 2018.

According to nomination court data, 70 women are contesting National Assembly seats, constituting a mere 11 percent of the 637 prospective candidates. In the 2018 general elections, women accounted for 14.4 percent of the 1648 national assembly candidates.

In local authority elections, 665 women have stepped forward as candidates, compared to 3940 men. Collectively, women make up only 14 percent of the candidates in this election, a drop from the 17 percent seen in the previous election. Political parties in the running have listed 1336 women competing for the 30 percent local government quota seats. This quota system guarantees women 561 seats in Council, constituting at least 23 percent of the available 1570 seats.

Gender activists have highlighted instances of victimisation, violence, and coercion targeting women during campaigns, leading some to withdraw from the race altogether. Sangarwe emphasised the pivotal role of the Gender Observatory in documenting women’s real-life encounters during electoral processes.

“This first-hand information will be instrumental in devising effective, tailor-made solutions to tackle gender-related challenges.”

In a press statement dated August 1, 2023, the African Commission on Human and Peoples’ Rights (ACHPR) addressed women’s political participation in the lead-up to the August 2023 Presidential Elections in Zimbabwe. The statement acknowledged the fervour demonstrated by the electorate, particularly women, in exercising their right to engage in the electoral process.

However, the ACHPR expressed profound concern over reports of escalating political tension and incidents of offline and online attacks targeting voters and members of political parties, with a particular emphasis on women. The ACHPR unequivocally urged the Government of Zimbabwe to take resolute legal measures and collaborate with relevant stakeholders to confront the deep-rooted historical discrimination that has hindered women’s political engagement. The aim is to foster a secure and supportive electoral environment wherein women can actively participate without the fear of digital or physical assaults in the lead-up to the 2023 election.

By committing to these measures, the Republic of Zimbabwe would foster a more inclusive and representative democracy, bolstering women’s empowerment and ensuring their voices resonate and are cherished within the political discourse, the Commission concluded.