Zambian women make up 50.5% of the population and 53.1% of registered voters, yet remain dramatically underrepresented in political power. Ahead of the 2026 elections, they account for just 13% of parliamentary candidates, 11% of mayoral candidates and 8% of councillor candidates, while only 1 of 14 presidential candidates is a woman.
Behind these figures is a system where women face major financial and institutional barriers. Winning a parliamentary seat can cost around K3.8 million, while limited access to funding, party structures and harmful stereotypes continues to hold them back. The new electoral system, which reserves 20 parliamentary seats for women, offers an important step forward, but much more is needed to turn Zambia’s female majority into equal representation in political power.
