POLITICAL PARTIES ENGAGEMENT ON WOMEN’S PARTICIPATION INPOLITICS

Presented after the Inter-Party meeting on women’s participation held at Best Western Plus Hotel, Lusaka, 6th May 2025

We the twenty-six (26) Political Party delegates convened by the Non-governmental Gender Organisations Coordinating Council (NGOCC) and the Zambia Centre for Interparty Dialogue (ZCID) at the Best Western Plus Hotel Lusaka, on 5th and 6th May 2025:

ACKNOWLEDGING The importance of equity, equality and non- discrimination in the democratic governance of Zambia;
AFFIRMING the invaluable role of Political Parties in Zambia’s governance system both as ruling parties and opposition political parties.
APPRECIATING the diversity among Political Parties in ideology

OBSERVING that over the years, women, persons with disabilities and indeed the youth have been disadvantaged against participating as candidates, in the governance of the country

CONCERNED WITH THE: –

• Very low number of women, persons with disabilities and youths at Cabinet, local government and parliamentary levels;
• Electoral violence as one of the major reasons for low participation of women and persons with disabilities
• Unequal political playing field due to financial disparities
• Deep rooted patriarchal and traditional tendencies that discriminate against women, persons with disabilities and the youth
• Very low levels of adoption of women, persons with disabilities and the youth as candidates for elections

DELIBERATED AND HEREIN COMMIT: –

• To continue accelerating our efforts to mainstream gender in our respective manifestos
• To effect quota systems to guide the composition of intraparty leadership
• To effect quota systems to guide nomination processes

NOW HENCEFORTH CALL OURSELVES TO ACTION WITH PARTICULAR FOCUS ON THE FOLLOWING THEMATIC AREAS:

Capacity Enhancement

• Identify and train women, persons with disabilities and youth aspiring candidates in campaign skills and fundraising
• Encourage all women, persons with disabilities and youth aspiring candidates without Grade Twelve Certificates to register for General Certificate of Education

Political Violence

• End Political Violence

Legal and policy environment and justice

The government should:

• Explore the enactment of a Political Parties Law as an avenue to increase representation of women, persons with disabilities and youth at local government and parliamentary levels.

We the various stakeholders and actors have been reinvigorated and have been strengthened by each other’s experiences and aspirations to continue to address under-representation of women, persons with disabilities and youth with renewed vigor and in a collective manner.

Hereunder signed:

1. Christian Democratic Party (CDP)
2. Citizens Democratic Party (CDP)
3. Democratic National Party (DNP)
4. Democratic Union (DU)
5. Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF)
6. Forum for Democracy and Development (FDD)
7. Golden Party Zambia (GPZ)
8. Movement for Democratic Change (MDC)
9. Movement for Multiparty Democracy (MMD)
10. National Restoration Party (NAREP)
11. New Congress Party (NCP)
12. New Era Democratic Party (NED)
13. New Heritage Party (NHP)
14. Party for National Unity and Progress (PNUP)
15. Patriotic Front (PF)
16. Patriots for Economic Progress (PEP)
17. People’s Alliance for Change (PAC)
18. Socialist Party (SP)
19. The Zambia We Want (ZWW)
20. United for Better Zambia (UBZ)
21. United Front for a Strong Foundation (UFSF)
22. United Liberal Party (ULP)
23. United Party for a Progressive Zambia (UPPZ)
24. United Party for National Development (UPND)
25. Zambia United for Sustainable Development (ZUSD)
26. Zambia Wake Up Party (ZAWAPA)