Zambia elections: the missing voices of women

It is election time in Zambia, with citizens going to the polls today to elect the President, Members of Parliament and Councillors, and to vote in a constitutional referendum. It looks to be a close race, but unfortunately not as far as women are concerned.

What could have been a golden opportunity for women to flourish in the political arena has failed to materialise. Once again, women have been significantly thwarted by obstacles including political violence, prohibitive regulations and patriarchal attitudes. Luckily our Zambian partners, the Zambia National Women’s Lobby (ZNWL) and Women for Change (WfC), have been a formidable force in supporting women to take their rightful place in Zambian politics and society.

In this election, there have been pitifully few female candidates, even fewer than in 2011’s election. Only 16 percent of parliamentary candidates are women, with equally disappointing numbers for Ward Councillors (9%) and Mayors (13%). Indeed, in Zambia only 14% of parliamentarians are women. This is despite calls for political parties to include more women, and commitments to the Southern African Development Community (SADC) goal of women to hold 50% of decision-making positions.

Significant obstacles

So why have women been so marginalised in this process? Our partners point to ‘a number of impediments standing in the way of women’s full participation’. First is electoral violence, which led to a suspension in campaigning following the fatal shooting of a female opposition supporter by police. There have also been reports of women candidates being beaten, intimidated and even stripped naked. Female candidates and voters are understandably deterred by violence, forcing many to stay away.

Then there is the increase in nomination fees for candidates and the recent requirement that candidates must hold a full grade 12 educational certificate. This puts women, especially in rural areas, at an automatic disadvantage, due to lack of money and educational opportunities and beliefs that a woman’s domain is domestic, not public. Many candidates have been forced to drop out as a result. “Patriarchal beliefs and the commercialisation of politics have marginalised women from political leadership,” says Juliet Kaira Chibuta, executive director of ZNWL.

Refusing to back down

Thankfully, help has been at hand. Both ZNWL and WfC have worked tirelessly to challenge these inequalities, often joining forces to do so. They have advocated hard to encourage women to vote, increase the number of female candidates, and replace female candidates that had to drop out. They have also supported, trained and given a platform to over 370 female candidates, and met with key stakeholders about supporting women’s involvement in the election. In addition, they have raised the profile of female candidates and the importance of women’s participation in the media, and publicly denounced electoral violence through press conferences and protest letters. This includes calling for an inquiry into the death of the female opposition supporter shot by police.

WfC also confronted the Electoral Commission of Zambia, urging them to defer the grade 12 certificate requirement and reduce nomination fees. There has been some reduction in fees since then, but the certification requirement still remains.

Lastly, ZNWL has been busy monitoring the elections from a gender perspective to highlight future learning.

The battle for democracy lives on

The injustices faced by women in this election make the work of ZNWL and WfC all the more vital in challenging the obstacles that prevent women from making their mark on Zambia’s future. And it’s a battle worth fighting. As Lumba Siyanga, the executive director of WfC, says, “Democracy is incomplete without the full participation of women and it is impossible to attain gender equality if women are left out.”

Find out more about our work supporting women’s right organisations in Zambia.