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The Global Gender Equality Constitutional Database is a repository of gender equality related provisions in 194 constitutions from around the world. The Database was updated in partnership with the International Bar Association's Human Rights Institute (IBAHRI) and with support from the Swedish International Development Agency (SIDA) and the Government of Japan. Experience its wealth and depth of information by starting your search now.
Political Parties
- English…
(2) The principles of good governance, which bind the State and all institutions and agencies of government at every level, include—
(a) a multi-party democratic political system;
…
(d) respect for the rights of all political parties;
… (Sec. 3)
Electoral Bodies
- EnglishThe Zimbabwe Electoral Commission has the following functions—
(a) to prepare for, conduct and supervise—
(i) elections to the office of President and to Parliament;
(ii) elections to provincial and metropolitan councils and the governing bodies of local authorities;
(iii) elections of members of the National Council of Chiefs established by section 285; and
(iv) referendums;
and to ensure that those elections and referendums are conducted efficiently, freely, fairly, transparently and in accordance with the law;
(b) to supervise elections of the President of the Senate and the Speaker and to ensure that those elections are conducted efficiently and in accordance with the law;
(c) to register voters;
(d) to compile voters’ rolls and registers;
(e) to ensure the proper custody and maintenance of voters’ rolls and registers;
(f) to delimit constituencies, wards and other electoral boundaries;
(g) to design, print and distribute ballot papers, approve the form of and procure ballot boxes, and establish and operate polling centres;
(h) to conduct and supervise voter education;
(i) to accredit observers of elections and referendums;
(j) to give instructions to persons in the employment of the State or of a local authority for the purpose of ensuring the efficient, free, fair, proper and transparent conduct of any election or referendum; and
(k) to receive and consider complaints from the public and to take such action in regard to the complaints as it considers appropriate. (Sec. 239)
Electoral Bodies
- EnglishThe following are the independent Commissions—
(a) the Zimbabwe Electoral Commission;
… (Sec. 232)
National level
- English
(1) An Act of Parliament must provide for the conduct of elections and referendums to which this Constitution applies, and in particular for the following matters—
…
(d) a system of proportional representation for the election of persons to the seats in the Senate referred to in section 120(1)(a) and the seats reserved for women in the National Assembly referred to in section 124(1)(b), and the procedure for filling vacancies in those seats, which vacancies must be filled by persons—
(i) belonging to the same political parties as those who previously held the seats; and
(ii) of the same gender as the persons who previously held the seats;
…
(2) The system of proportional representation provided for in terms of subsection (1)(d) must ensure equal representation of women among the Senators referred to in section 120(1)(a).
… (Sec. 157)
National level
- English
(1) The National Assembly consists of—
(a) two hundred and ten members elected by secret ballot from the two hundred and ten constituencies into which Zimbabwe is divided; and
(b) for the life of the first four Parliaments after the effective date, an additional sixty women members, six from each of the provinces into which Zimbabwe is divided, elected through a system of proportional representation based on the votes cast for candidates representing political parties in a general election for constituency members in the provinces.
(c) a further additional ten youth members, that is, persons aged from twenty-one to thirtyfive years of age, one from each of the provinces into which Zimbabwe is divided, elected under a party-list system of proportional representation—
(i) which is based on the votes cast for candidates representing political parties in a general election for constituency members in the provinces; and
(ii) in which male and female candidates are listed alternately:
Provided that political parties must ensure that—
(a) ten of the sixty women members are under the age of thirty-five;
(b) women with disabilities are represented on their party lists; and
(c) young women with disabilities are represented on their party lists in terms of an Act of Parliament.
… (Sec. 124)
National level
- English(1) The Senate consists of eighty Senators, of whom—
(a) six are elected from each of the provinces into which Zimbabwe is divided, by a system of proportional representation conforming with subsection (2);
(b) sixteen are Chiefs, of whom two are elected by the provincial assembly of Chiefs from each of the provinces, other than the metropolitan provinces, into which Zimbabwe is divided;
(c) the President and Deputy President of the National Council of Chiefs; and
(d) two are elected in the manner prescribed in the Electoral Law to represent persons with disabilities.
(2) Elections of Senators must be conducted in accordance with the Electoral Law, which must ensure that the Senators referred to in subsection (1)(a) are elected under a party-list system of proportional representation—
(a) which is based on the votes cast for candidates representing political parties in each of the provinces in the general election for Members of the National Assembly; and
(b) in which male and female candidates are listed alternately, every list being headed by a female candidate. (Sec. 120)
National level
- English(1) The State must promote full gender balance in Zimbabwean society, and in particular—
…
(b) the State must take all measures, including legislative measures, needed to ensure that—
(i) both genders are equally represented in all institutions and agencies of government at every level; and
(ii) women constitute at least half the membership of all Commissions and other elective and appointed governmental bodies established by or under this Constitution or any Act of Parliament;
… (Sec. 17)
Subnational levels
- English(1) The State must promote full gender balance in Zimbabwean society, and in particular—
…
(b) the State must take all measures, including legislative measures, needed to ensure that—
(i) both genders are equally represented in all institutions and agencies of government at every level; and
(ii) women constitute at least half the membership of all Commissions and other elective and appointed governmental bodies established by or under this Constitution or any Act of Parliament;
… (Sec. 17)
Subnational levels
- English…
(2) The Electoral Law must make provision, consistent with this Chapter11, for the filling of vacancies in the seats of the members of provincial councils referred to in section 268(1)(f) and in the offices of chairpersons of provincial councils, which vacancies must be filled—
(a) by persons belonging to the same political parties as those who previously held the seats or offices; and
(b) except in the case of chairpersons, by a person of the same gender as the persons who previously held the seats. (Sec. 273)
Subnational levels
- English
(1) There is a provincial council for each province and a metropolitan council for each metropolitan province, consisting of—
(a) a chairperson of the council, elected in terms of section 272; and
(b) the mayors and chairpersons, by whatever title they are called, of all urban and rural local authorities in the province concerned; and
(c) ten persons elected by a system of proportional representation referred to in subsection (3).
(2) A person is qualified to be elected to a provincial or metropolitan council in terms of subsection (1)(c) if she is qualified for election as a Member of the National Assembly.
(3) Elections to provincial and metropolitan councils must be conducted in accordance with the Electoral Law, which must ensure that the persons referred to in subsection (1)(c) are elected under a party-list system of proportional representation—
(a) which is based on the votes cast for candidates representing political parties in the province concerned in the general election for Members of the National Assembly; and
(b) in which male and female candidates are listed alternately, every list being headed by a female candidate.
... (Sec. 268)