SHARECountry Data
Angola (Republic of Angola) has a Unicameral parliament with the use of voluntary party quotas and legislated quotas for the single/lower house and at the sub-national level. 74 of 220 (34%) seats in the Assembleia 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? Yes
Is there additional information?...
- Yes
Last updated: Jan 16, 2023
Single/Lower House
Assembleia nacional / National Assembly
| Total seats | 220 |
| Total Women | 74 |
| % Women | 34% |
| Election Year | 2022 |
| 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 | |
| Electoral law | Article 20 (2-m) of Law 22/10 in Political Parties establishes that the Charter of Political Parties must include rules to encourage the promotion of equal opportunities and equity between men and women, as well as a gender representation of not less than 30% in the governing and directive bodies at all levels. |
|
| Legal sanctions for non-compliance | No | |
| Rank order/placement rules | No | |
| 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 | The charter of political parties must include ‘rules which encourage the promotion of equal opportunities and equity between men and women, as well as a gender representation of not less than 30% in their governing bodies at all levels’ (Article 20 (2-m) of Law 22/10 on Political Parties). |
|
| Legal sanctions for non-compliance | ||
| Rank order/placement rules | No data available |
Voluntary Political Party Quotas*
| Party | Official name | Details, Quota provisions | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Popular Movement for the Liberation of Angola | Movimento Popular de Libertação de Angola [MPLA] | Article 109 (Representation of gender) In the lists of candidates for the representative bodies of the MPLA, a gender composition of not less than 40% must be observed. | |
| National Union for the Total Independence of Angola | União Nacional para a Independência Total de Angola [UNITA ] | Article 13.3 3. Having verified the other requirements in the lists of candidates for the organs and bodies of the Party, a positive discrimination of representation of the female gender must be observed up to 50% and a representation of youth of not less than 30%. |
* 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.
Additional Information
In the Election of 2008, the ruling party "People's Movement for the Liberation of Angola"(MPLA), which won 81 per cent of the seats, had 77 women elected out of its 191 members of parliament (MPs). The main opposition party, National Union for the Total Independence of Angola (UNITA), elected 4women out of its 16 MPs.
The MPLA adopted a 30 per cent quota for women candidates in the Law 22/10 in Political Parties. This has resulted in a huge increase in women's representation in the National Assembly (from 9.5 per cent in the 1992 elections, to 34 per cent in 2012).
In 2015, MPLA adopted a 40 per cent quota for women candidates in their statutes in Article 109 (Network Angola, 2015).
Sources
LEGAL SOURCES:
- Constitution of Angola (Available in different languages)
- Law No. 22/10 on Political Parties (Portuguese Version)
- Electoral law of Angola (English version)
OTHER SOURCES:
- Parliamentary Website (Official Website)
Additional reading
- UN Women, Angola commits to the empowerment of women and gender equality, the dignity of families and the advancement of women, UN Women
- CEDAW, Committee on the Elimination of Discrimination against Women considers Angola's report, (2019), CEDAW
- See the latest updates on Angola on iKNOW Politics
- Arendt, C. (2018). From Critical Mass to Critical Leaders: Unpacking the Political Conditions behind Gender Quotas in Africa. Politics & Gender, 14(3), 295-322.
- Adams, K. S. (2012). The Sub-Saharan African Triumvirate: Female Representation In The National Parliaments Of Angola, Ethiopia And Lesotho. International Journal of Politics and Good Governance