Gender Quotas Database

Country Data

EXPLORE QUOTA DATA    

 

Nicaragua (Republic of Nicaragua)

Nicaragua (Republic of Nicaragua) has a Unicameral parliament with legislated quotas for the single/lower house and at the sub-national level. 47 of 91 (52%) seats in the Asamblea Nacional / National Assembly are held by women.

At a glance

Structure of Parliament: Unicameral

Are there legislated quotas...

  • For the Single/Lower House? Yes
  • For the Sub-National Level? Yes

Are there voluntary quotas...

  • Adopted by political parties? No

Is there additional information?...

  • Yes

Last updated: Feb 20, 2023

Single/Lower House

Asamblea Nacional / National Assembly

Total seats 91
Total Women 47
% Women 52%
Election Year 2021
Electoral System List PR
Quota Type Legislated Candidate Quotas
Election details IDEA Voter Turnout - IPU Parline
  Legal source Details
Quota type: Legislated Candidate Quotas Constitution

”In the case of officials elected by popular vote on the basis of closed lists proposed by political parties in accordance with the principle of proportional representation, deputies in the National Assembly, deputies in the Central-American Parliament, Municipal Councilors, and Regional Councilors, the list of candidates must contain fifty percent of male and fifty percent of female candidates, presented in a fair and alternating order; the same relation between the sexes must be maintained between the mandate holders and their alternates, where applicable (Constitution Article 131)”.

 
Electoral law

Under Article 82 (4) of the 2000 Electoral Law (No. 331, as amended by Law No.790/2012), political parties or the coalition of political parties which participate in the National Assembly elections must include in their electoral lists 50% men and 50% women candidates.

According to Article 68 of the Electoral Law, Political parties or alliances of parties that participate in the Regional, Municipal, Deputies' Elections of the National Assembly and the Central American Parliament must present on their lists of candidates fifty percent (50%) of men and fifty percent (50%) of women ordered equally and presented alternately. Officials elected by universal suffrage by closed lists proposed by political parties or alliance of political parties, who change their electoral option in the exercise of their office, contravening the mandate of the electing people expressed at the polls, shall lose their status as elected or elected, and one or one alternate must assume the seat in accordance with the procedure established in this Law in the absence of definitiveness.

Legal sanctions for non-compliance Electoral law

When the Supreme Electoral Council, in accordance with the provisions of this Law, denies an application or rejects a candidate for not fulfilling the requirements of the law, it shall notify the political party or alliance of parties within three days of the resolution, to proceed to correct the defects or to replace if appropriate. (Article 70, Electoral Law)

Rank order/placement rules Electoral law

According to Article 68 of the Electoral Law, Political parties or alliances of parties that participate in the Regional, Municipal, Deputies' Elections of the National Assembly and the Central American Parliament must present on their lists of candidates fifty percent (50%) of men and fifty percent (50%) of women ordered equally and presented alternately.

Is the provision of direct public funding to political parties related to gender equality among candidates? No  
See more in International IDEA's Political Finance database
Are there provisions for other financial advantages to encourage gender equality in political parties? No  
See more in International IDEA's Political Finance database

Quota at the Sub-National Level

  • Quota type: Legislated Candidate Quotas
  Legal source Details
Quota type: Legislated Candidate Quotas Constitution  
Electoral law

According to Article 68 of the Electoral Law, Political parties or alliances of parties that participate in the Regional, Municipal, Deputies' Elections of the National Assembly and the Central American Parliament must present on their lists of candidates fifty percent (50%) of men and fifty percent (50%) of women ordered equally and presented alternately.
Officials elected by universal suffrage by closed lists proposed by political parties or alliance of political parties, who change their electoral option in the exercise of their office, contravening the mandate of the electing people expressed at the polls, shall lose their status as elected or elected, and one or one alternate must assume the seat in accordance with the procedure established in this Law in the absence of definitiveness.

Legal sanctions for non-compliance No

None

Rank order/placement rules Electoral law

According to Article 68 of the Electoral Law, Political parties or alliances of parties that participate in the Regional, Municipal, Deputies' Elections of the National Assembly and the Central American Parliament must present on their lists of candidates fifty percent (50%) of men and fifty percent (50%) of women ordered equally and presented alternately.

Additional Information

Previously, the 2008 electoral law ensured gender equality in the exercise of civil and political rights at all levels, including the promotion of the measures necessary to increase women’s participation in the electoral processes at all levels.

Under the new law, political parties and civil society organizations shall seek the equal participation of women and men in decision-making positions and procedures, by ensuring that their statutes guarantee effective democratic participation in the election procedures of their authorities and candidates. This does not invalidate the academic, intellectual and ethical requirements, or the capacities and experience required to be candidates or applicants for these positions (Articles 8–12).

The percentage of women is calculated from the current number of seats occupied in the parliament. The National Assembly has 92 statutory seats. 

 

Sources

LEGAL SOURCES:

OTHER SOURCES:

  • Htun, M. N., Participación, Representación y Liderazgo Político de la Mujer en América Latina [Women’s political participation, representation and leadership in Latin America], Issue Brief (Washington, DC: Women’s Leadership Conference of the Americas, 1998), accessed 24 April 2018;
  • Samqui, E. M., ‘Participación política de la mujeres: ¿caminamos o vamos dando traspiés?’ [Political participation of women: we walked or stumbled?], in B. Llanos and K. Sample (eds), Del dicho al hecho: manual de buenas practicas para la participación de mujeres en los partidos políticos latinoamericanos [From words to action: best practices for women’s participation in latin american political parties]] (Stockholm: International IDEA, 2008), accessed 24 April 2018
 

Additional reading

Additional reading

Americas | Global

Know about useful additional reading for Nicaragua? Tell us!

Comments

 

Do you have news concerning gender quotas for promoting
the equal participation and representation of women and men?
Please send them to us so that we can keep the information on this site up to date.

 

Contact Us

Disclaimer: Maps presented do not imply on the part of the Institute any judgement on the legal status of any territory or the endorsement of such boundaries, nor does the placement or size of any country or territory reflect the political view of International IDEA. Maps are used in order to add visual clarity to data.