WOMEN’S REPRESENTATION STILL FAR BELOW PARITY




NGOCC says gains in female parliamentary representation remain insufficient as women occupy 22.4 percent of National Assembly seats

By Francis Maingaila ♥️

Lusaka, Zambia24 — 20 September 2026 — Zambia has recorded an increase in the number of women in the National Assembly following the validation of 40 Proportional Representation (PR) seats, but women’s representation remains far below the 50-50 gender parity target.

The Non-governmental Gender Organisations’ Coordinating Council (NGOCC) says 26 of the 40 PR seats validated by the Electoral Commission of Zambia (ECZ) have gone to women, raising the total number of female Members of Parliament to 63 out of 281 seats.

In a statement signed by NGOCC Executive Director Anamela Mbewe Njekwa, the organisation said the figure includes 34 elected female MPs, the Vice President, Speaker and Deputy Speaker.

NGOCC said this translates into 22.4 percent representation of women in the National Assembly.

The organisation said the figure is an improvement from the 15 percent recorded in 2021 and above the previous high of 18 percent recorded in 2016.

However, NGOCC said the final picture of women’s representation is yet to emerge because the Lumezi North and Mandevu parliamentary by-elections are still outstanding.

The organisation also said six of the 11 parliamentary nomination positions available to the President have not yet been filled.

NGOCC said the remaining electoral and nomination opportunities could further increase the number of women in Parliament.

Mbewe Njekwa said the increase in the number of women MPs was encouraging, but the progress should be considered against the expansion of the National Assembly from 168 to 281 seats.

She said women, youth and persons with disabilities must have meaningful representation in Parliament so they can directly speak to issues affecting their respective groups.

Mbewe Njekwa also pointed to Zambia’s commitments under the SADC Protocol on Gender and Development, which calls for equal and effective representation of women in political, public and private decision-making.

She said women therefore remain a long way from the 50-50 gender parity commitment contained in the regional framework.

NGOCC has meanwhile congratulated all women elected through the PR seats and challenged them to use their positions to champion the concerns of marginalised groups they represent.

“NGOCC has long advocated for a more representative National Assembly in which women, youth and persons with disabilities can speak to their own issues,” Mbewe Njekwa said.

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