Gender issues: Women's representation in the Lower House of Parliament
Updated February 2010
The following table supplies information on the proportion of women in the lower house of parliaments of Southern African countries. As far as is possible, every effort has been made to exclude nominated and ex officio members from the tallies.
| Country | System | Year | % Seats |
|---|---|---|---|
| ANGOLA | Proportional representation | 2008 | 37.4 |
| 1992 | 9.5 | ||
| BOTSWANA | Single member plurality Figures before 1989 not available |
2009 | 6.56 |
| 2004 | 11.48 | ||
| 1999 | 18.18 | ||
| 1994 | 9.09 | ||
| 1989 | 5.26 | ||
| DRC | Multiple Member Plurality | 2006 | 8.4 |
| LESOTHO | Mixed member compensatory | 2007 | 25 |
| 2002 | 11.67 | ||
| Single member plurality | 1998 | 3.8 | |
| 1993 | 4.6 | ||
| MADAGASCAR | Multi member plurality | 2007 | 7.87 |
| 2002 | 5.33 | ||
| MALAWI | Single member plurality | 2009 | 20.83 |
| 2004 | 14.44 | ||
| 1999 | 9.33 | ||
| 1994 | 5.65 | ||
| MAURITIUS | Multiple Member Plurality | 2005 | 17.14 |
| 2000 | 5.71 | ||
| 1995 | 7.6 | ||
| MOZAMBIQUE | Proportional representation | 2009 | 38.4* |
| 2004 | 35.60 | ||
| 1999 | 29.20 | ||
| 1994 | 25.20 | ||
| NAMIBIA | Proportional representation | 2009 | 22.22 |
| 2004 | 25 | ||
| 1999 | 25 | ||
| 1994 | 18.1 | ||
| 1989 | 6.9 | ||
| SEYCHELLES | Mixed member parallel | 2007 | 23.53 |
| 2002 | 29.41 | ||
| 1998 | 24 | ||
| 1993 | 27.3 | ||
| SOUTH AFRICA | Proportional representation | 2009 | 43 |
| 2004 | 32.75 | ||
| 1999 | 30 | ||
| 1994 | 27.75 | ||
| SWAZILAND | Single member plurality | 2008 | 18.6** |
| 2003 | 16.4 | ||
| 1998 | 3.6 | ||
| 1993 | 3.1 | ||
| TANZANIA | Mixed member parallel | 2005 | 31.60 |
| Single member plurality with gender quota | 2000 | 21.51 | |
| 1995 | 16.73 | ||
| ZAMBIA | Single member plurality | 2006 | 14 |
| 2001 | 12.67 | ||
| 1996 | 10.67 | ||
| 1991 | 6.67 | ||
| ZIMBABWE | Single member plurality | 2008 | 14.29 |
| 2005 | 16.67 | ||
| 2000 | 9.33 | ||
| 1995 | 14.67 | ||
| 1990 | 14 | ||
| 1985 | 8 | ||
| Proportional representation (80%) Single member plurality (20%) |
1980 | 9 |
Table notes
* Preliminary figure for 2009. For this analysis, the gender of MPs was determined by looking at their first names, and in a dozen cases their gender was difficult to ascertain by this method, and therefore needs to be further verified (the dubious names were left out, therefore the numbers below may present a slight under-representation of women).
** In December 2009, more than a year after the 2008 elections, the indirect election of the four additional women members had still not been conducted (For constitutional provisions see Women's representation quotas). Thus the actual proportion of women members was 12.7% (see Women's representation in the House of Assembly).
