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Gender Quotas Database

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Mozambique

Mozambique

Eastern Africa

Mozambique has a Unicameral parliament with the use of voluntary party quotas. 108 of 250 (43%) seats in the Assembleia da Republica / Assembly of the Republic are held by women.

At a glance

Structure of parliament Unicameral

Are there legislated quotas

For the Single / Lower house? No
For the Upper house? No
For the Sub-national level? No

Are there voluntary quotas?

Adopted by political parties? Yes
Is there additional information? No

Single / Lower House

Assembleia da Republica / Assembly of the Republic

Total seats 250
Total women 108
Percentage of women 43%
Election year 2019
Electoral system List PR
Quota type No legislated
Election details IDEA Voter Turnout - IPU Parline
Sources Additional information Contact us

Voluntary Political Party Quotas*

Party Official Name Details, Quota provisions
Front for the Liberation of Mozambique Frente de Libertação de Moçambique (FRELIMO)

FRELIMO has used gender quotas since 1994. The party's policy requires that 40% of candidates to national assembly and local government should be women. In addition, the quota system was accompanied by a commitment to balance the distribution of men and women through the list. Currently, FRELIMO holds 191 seats of a total of 250 in the national assembly, in effect a three-fourths majority.
Mozambican National Resistance Resistência Nacional Moçambicana (RENAMO)

a) The National Council is composedby 120 members elected by Congress.Two) In the process of electing membersof the National Council, the principle is observedrepresentation of provinces and gender.(Article 28 (2) of the Party Statutes)

* Only political parties represented in parliament are included. When a country has legislated quotas in place, only political parties that have voluntary quotas that exceed the percentage/number of the national quota legislation are presented in this table.

Sources Additional information Contact us

Additional information

11 November 2019: 

"Women’s representation in parliament in Mozambique decreased by 2 percentage points the October elections. While Mozambique is one of the better performers in the Southern African development Community (SADC) the failure to reach gender parity in these elections is a serious set-back.  “We have only two elections to go before the 2030 deadline for the Sustainable development Goals and the SADC on Gender and Development,” noted GL Lusophone Alice Banze. “A legislated quota is a necessary pre-requisite for equal representation,” she added.

[...] The election results show that it is time for reflection and action towards the 2024 election. There is need to engage with the public, particularly women who constitute the majority of voters about what they want from government. Political parties need to present plans and strategies that advance gender equality and women’s rights" (Genderlinks.org November 2019)

 

Sources

LEGAL SOURCES:

  • Constitution on Mozambique - Link
  • Electoral Law (amended through 2019) - Link
  • Political Parties Law (amended through 2004) - Link
  • Local Government Law 3/2019 - Link

OTHER SOURCES:

 

Additional reading

  • See the latest updates on Mozambique on iKNOW Politics
  • The Carter Center, NGO Submission to the U.N Committee on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination Against Women Session 73, July 2019, Mozambique
  • Yoon, M. Y. 2001. Democratization and Women's Legislative Representation in Sub-Saharan Africa. Democratization, 8(2), pp. 169-190.
  • Kethusegile, B. et al. 2000. Beyond Inequalities: Women in Southern Africa. Harare: SARDC.
  • Lowe-Morna, C. 2000. ‘Strategies for Increasing Women's Participation in Politics’, paper presented to the Fifth Meeting of Commonwealth Ministers Responsible for Women's Affairs.
  • Inter-Parliamentary Union [IPU]. 1997. Democracy Still in the Making: A World Comparative Study. Geneva: Inter-Parliamentary Union.
  • Jacobson, R. 1996. ‘Genderand Democratisation: The Mozambican Election of 1994’, Internet Journal of African Studies, No.1.

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