Gender issues: Women's representation quotas

Updated May 2008

The following table supplies information on quotas to ensure the better representation of women in elective bodies in Southern African countries.

Links on this page go to pages providing further detail on the subject for that specific country.

Country	Legal	Party
ANGOLA	None	Ruling MPLA 30% National Assembly
BOTSWANA	None	Opposition BNF 30% candidates Opposition BCP 30% candidates
DRC	None	Ruling PPRD 30% candidates Opposition MLC 30% candidates RCD 30% candidates
LESOTHO	30% local government	None
MADAGASCAR	None	None
MALAWI	None	UDF 25% National Assembly
MAURITIUS	None	MMM 20% candidates all levels
MOZAMBIQUE	None	Ruling FRELIMO 40% all levels.
NAMIBIA	50% local government	Ruling SWAPO 50% candidates all levels Opposition COD 50% candidates all levels Opposition NUDO 50% candidates all levels
SEYCHELLES	None	None
SOUTH AFRICA	50% local government PR lists (not legally enforceable)	Ruling ANC 30% national and provincial, 50% local government
SWAZILAND	If women less than 30% of Parliament, then 4 women elected to House of Assembly by House. 50% Senate	Political parties banned
TANZANIA	30% National Assembly 30% House of Representatives (Zanzibar) 33% local government	None
ZAMBIA	None	None
ZIMBABWE	None	ZANU-PF 25% of candidates House of Assembly