SHARECountry Data
Colombia (Republic of Colombia) has a Bicameral parliament with legislated quotas for the single/lower house and upper house and at the sub-national level. 54 of 187 (29%) seats in the Cámara de Representantes / House of Representatives are held by women.
At a glance
Structure of Parliament: Bicameral
Are there legislated quotas...
- For the Single/Lower House? Yes
- For the Upper House? Yes
- For the Sub-National Level? Yes
Are there voluntary quotas...
- Adopted by political parties? No
Is there additional information?...
- Yes
Last updated: Jan 17, 2023
Single/Lower House
Cámara de Representantes / House of Representatives
| Total seats | 187 |
| Total Women | 54 |
| % Women | 29% |
| 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 | In attention to the progressive application of the principles of gender equity, parity, alternation and universality enshrined in articles 40, 107 and 262 of the Political Constitution; in the lists where five (5) or more seats are elected for popularly elected corporations or those that are submitted to consultation, except for their result, including those related to the election of directors, when the political groups opt for this mechanism to election, they must be made up of a minimum of fifty percent (50%) of women, on the number of candidates registered in the corporation that is intended to apply. For lists of less than five (5) seats, thirty percent (30%) will be applied for the conformation of the gender quota (Art. 80, Electoral Code). |
|
| Political funding legislation | 5% of the total state funding for the political parties will be equally distributed to political parties and movements in proportion to the number of women representatives elected from their lists into publicly elected offices (Article 17.6). |
|
| Legal sanctions for non-compliance | Electoral law | Lists that do not meet the gender quota, stipulated in this article, will constitute grounds for revocation of registration. The foregoing, without prejudice to the disciplinary sanctions or fines that may be imposed on political groups in the face of this breach.
|
| Rank order/placement rules | No | None |
| Is the provision of direct public funding to political parties related to gender equality among candidates? | Yes | 5% of the public funding is distributed according to the number of women elected in public office. See more in International IDEA's Political Finance database |
| Are there provisions for other financial advantages to encourage gender equality in political parties? | Yes, funds earmarked for gender activities Other | At least 15% of the public funding must be destined by political organizations to political and electoral training, and effective inclusive of young people, women and ethnic minorities. See more in International IDEA's Political Finance database |
Upper House
Senado de la República / Senate
| Total seats | 108 |
| Total Women | 32 |
| % Women | 30% |
| Election Year | 2022 |
| Electoral System | List PR |
| Quota Type | Legislated Candidate Quotas> |
| Election details | IPU Parline |
| Legal source | Details | |
|---|---|---|
| Quota type: Legislated Candidate Quotas | Electoral law | For lists submitted for election of 5 or more seats, at least 30% of candidates of each gender must be included (Law 1475 of 2011, Article 28.1). Political parties decide themselves whether their lists shall be open or closed. |
| Political funding legislation | 5% of the total state funding for the political parties will be equally distributed to political parties and movements in proportion to the number of women elected in public offices (Article 17 (6)). | |
| Legal sanctions for non-compliance | Electoral law | Candidate lists that do not comply with the legal requirements, including the gender quota requirement, shall be rejected (Article 32). |
| Rank order/placement rules | No | None |
Quota at the Sub-National Level
- Quota type: Legislated Candidate Quotas
| Legal source | Details | ||
|---|---|---|---|
| Quota type: Legislated Candidate Quotas | Constitution | ||
| Electoral law | In attention to the progressive application of the principles of gender equity, parity, alternation and universality enshrined in articles 40, 107 and 262 of the Political Constitution; in the lists where five (5) or more seats are elected for popularly elected corporations or those that are submitted to consultation, except for their result, including those related to the election of directors, when the political groups opt for this mechanism to election, they must be made up of a minimum of fifty percent (50%) of women, on the number of candidates registered in the corporation that is intended to apply. For lists of less than five (5) seats, thirty percent (30%) will be applied for the conformation of the gender quota (Art. 80, Electoral Code). |
||
| Political funding legislation | 5% of the total state funding for the political parties will be equally distributed to political parties and movements in proportion to the number of women elected in public offices (Article 17 (6)). | ||
| Legal sanctions for non-compliance | Yes |
|
|
| Rank order/placement rules | No | None |
Additional Information
In addition to the electoral law of 2011 which introduced the 30% minimum gender quota for candidate lists for publicly-elected offices, Colombian legislation recognizes the right of women to hold at least 30% of the highest public decision-making positions and of other public decision-making levels subject to appointment and removal, with powers of management and direction in designing, planning, coordinating, implementing and monitoring the actions and policies of the state. Exceptions to the law apply to the judiciary, administrative or other positions in which the acceptance, permanence and promotion are based solely on merit (Law 581/2000). The Legislative Act No. 1 of 2003 removed the constitutional barriers that had served as the basis for the Constitutional Court to declare the initial legislation on candidate quotas unconstitutional.
The gender quota provisions introduced by the electoral law of 2011 were implemented for the first time at the local government elections held on 30 October 2011. One month before the elections, 217 candidate lists had been rejected by the electoral administration for failing to comply with the gender quota. The electoral administration extended the deadline for submission of candidate lists in order to give political parties a chance to meet the quota requirements. As a result of the implementation of the gender quota, the participation of women candidates has significantly increased from just under 20% of the total number of candidates in the 2007 local elections, to just over 35% in 2011.
The percentage of women is calculated from the current number of seats occupied in the parliament. The Colombian House of Representatives has 172 statutory seats. The Colombian Senate has 108 statutory seats.
Sources
LEGAL SOURCES:
- Constitution of Colombia (rev. 2015) (English version)
- Constitution of Colombia (rev. 2016) (Spanish version)
- Electoral Code (rev. 2020) (Spanish version)
- Decreto 2241 de 1986, Por el cual se adopta el Código Electoral (Decree no. 2241 of 1986 adopting the Electoral Code) (Spanish version)
- Ley 1475 de 2011 (Law 1475 of 2011 regulating the organization and functioning of political parties and movements, electoral processes and other provisions) (Spanish version)
- Ley 581 de 2000 (Law 581 of 2000 regulating the adequate and effective participation of women in the decision making of public authorities) (Spanish version).
OTHER SOURCES:
- Informe Atenea (2019): "Colombia: La hora de la paridad" International IDEA, ONU Mujeres, UNDP, USAID.
- Falguera, E. and Casas-Zamora, K. (2017): "Financiación política y participación equitativa de las mujeres en Colombia: análisis de la situación". International IDEA and NIMD.
- Llanos, B (2019):"Surcando olas y contra-olas. Una mirada paritaria a los derechos políticos de las mujeres en América Latina". Atenea, International IDEA, ONU Mujeres, UNDP.
- Misión de Observación Electoral (2019): "Cuotas de Género y Justicia Electoral en Colombia". Bogotá: MOE in collaboration with Universidad Industrial de Santander, Suecia and USAID.
- Organización de los Estados Americanos (30th of October 2011) ‘Informe de la Misión de Veeduría Electoral, Elleciones Locales República de Colombia’ (Report of the electoral oversight mission, local elections in the Republic of Colombia).
-
Inter-Parliamentary Union, IPU Parline Colombia
Additional reading
- See the latest updates on Colombia on iKNOW Politics
- Gender Justice and Security, 2021, . "Gender Equality in Colombia, an overview"
- Misión de Observación Electoral (2014): " Elecciones y Medios de Comunicación. Un zoom a las mujeres en la agenda política. Seguimiento a Medios. Elecciones Congreso y Presidencia 2014". Bogotá: MOE in collaboration with Sweden and USAID.
- Htun, Mala N. 2002., Mujeres y poder politico en Latino america, in International IDEA, Mujeres en el Parlamento. Ms all de los numeros, Stockholm: International IDEA, pp. 19-44.
- Htun, Mala N. and Jones, M.P. 2002. "Engendering the Right to Participate in Decision-Making: Electoral Quotas and Women''s Leadership in Latin America." Nikki Craske and Maxine Molyneux(ed.) Gender and the Politics of Rights and Democracy in Latin America. New York: Palgrave. pp. 32-56.
- Peschard, J. 2002. ‘El sistema de cuotas en América Latina. Panorama general,’ in International IDEA. Mujeres en el Parlamento. Más allá de los números, Stockholm: International IDEA, pp. 173-186.
- Nivon, María de los Angeles. 2001. ‘En Colombia, el gobierno aún no permite mayor presencia de las mujeres en la política’ (In Colombia, the government still does not permit a greater presence of women in politics)
- Women's Leadership Conference of the Americas. 2001. Women and Power in the Americas: A Report Card. Washington: Women's Leadership Conference of the Americas.
- Jaramillo, I. C. 2000. Legal Reform, Feminism, and Patriarchy in Colombia: The Case of the Law of Quotas for Women in High-Decision Making Positions Within the Executive Branch. L.L.M. Thesis, Harvard Law School, May 10.
- Suleydy Gaitán, S. 1998. ‘Colombia: Desarrollos en Colombia frente a la Plataforma de Acción Mundial.’ Silvia Vega Ugalde (ed.) Acceso de las mujeres a la toma de decisiones en los países andinos. Quito: Coalición Política de Mujeres Andinas. pp. 147-182.
- Gutierrez, E. 1997. ‘Women-Latam: Andean Women Flex Their Political Muscle.’ Interpress Service, September 23.