Abstract
Zimbabwe adopted a proportional representation electoral system for its bicameral parliament after gaining independence in 1980. It later replaced it with an executive presidential system and a unicameral parliament in 1987. Both systems failed to produce a gender-balanced legislature. Zimbabwe ratified the CEDAW and adopted the SADC Gender Protocol in 1991. Zimbabwean women comprised 36% in the legislature—47.5% in the Senate and 28% in the influential House of Assembly by 2013. Gaidzanwa argues that women’s representation is likely to decline despite ten years of affirmative action to allocate 60 seats to women in the House of Assembly. More needs to be done to achieve gender equity in political representation in Zimbabwe.
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Gaidzanwa, R.B. (2019). Zimbabwe: Women’s Mass Movement and Violence. In: Franceschet, S., Krook, M.L., Tan, N. (eds) The Palgrave Handbook of Women’s Political Rights. Gender and Politics. Palgrave Macmillan, London. https://doi.org/10.1057/978-1-137-59074-9_20
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1057/978-1-137-59074-9_20
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