Gender Quotas Database
Uruguay
South America
Single / Lower House
Cámara de Representantes / House of Representatives
| Total seats | 99 |
| Total women | 25 |
| Percentage of women | 25% |
| Gender Quota target | 50% |
| Election year | 2019 |
| Electoral system | List PR |
| Quota type | Legislated Candidate Quotas |
| Election details | IDEA Voter Turnout - IPU Parline |
| Legal source | Details | |
|---|---|---|
| Quota type: Legislated Candidate Quotas | Electoral law |
Article 2 of Law (19,555/2018) stipulates that persons of both sexes must be included in the corresponding lists in each list of candidates, holders and substitutes in the total list of the national, departmental and municipal authorities of the political parties. |
| Legal sanctions for non-compliance | Electoral law | Lists that fail to comply with the gender quota requirements shall be rejected by the Electoral Court (Article 3). |
| Rank order/placement rules | Electoral law |
Persons of both sexes must be included in the corresponding lists in each list of candidates, holders and substitutes in the total list of the national, departmental and municipal authorities of the political parties. |
| 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 |
Upper House
Cámara de Senadores / Senate
| Total seats | 31 |
| Total women | 10 |
| Percentage of women | 32% |
| Gender Quota target | 50% |
| Election year | 2019 |
| Electoral system | List PR |
| Quota type | Legislated Candidate Quotas |
| Election details | IPU Parline |
| Legal source | Details | |
|---|---|---|
| Quota type: Legislated Candidate Quotas | Electoral law |
Article 2 of Law (19,555/2018) stipulates that persons of both sexes must be included in the corresponding lists in each list of candidates, holders and substitutes in the total list of the national, departmental and municipal authorities of the political parties. |
| Legal sanctions for non-compliance | Electoral law | Lists that fail to comply shall be rejected by the Electoral Court (Law nº 18.476, Article 3). |
| Rank order/placement rules | Electoral law |
Persons of both sexes must be included in the corresponding lists in each list of candidates, holders and substitutes in the total list of the national, departmental and municipal authorities of the political parties. |
Quota at the Sub-National Level
| Quota type | Legislated Candidate Quotas |
| Gender Quota target | 50% |
| Legal source | Details | |
|---|---|---|
| Quota type: Legislated Candidate Quotas | Electoral law |
Article 2 of Law (19,555/2018) stipulates that persons of both sexes must be included in the corresponding lists in each list of candidates, incumbents and substitutes in the total list of the national, departmental and municipal authorities of the political parties. |
| Legal sanctions for non-compliance | Electoral law | Lists that fail to comply with the gender quota requirements shall be rejected by the Electoral Court (Article 3). |
| Rank order/placement rules | Electoral law |
Persons of both sexes must be included in the corresponding lists in each list of candidates, holders and substitutes in the total list of the national, departmental and municipal authorities of the political parties. |
Voluntary Political Party Quotas*
| Party | Official Name | Details, Quota provisions |
|---|---|---|
| Socialist Party of Uruguay | Partido Socialista del Uruguay (PS) |
In the 1980's PS adopted a quota for women. The quota is dependent upon the percentage of women members of the Party in each jurisdiction. (Statutes 2003, Art. 65) |
* 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 all first-degree elections that are held celebrated for the integration of the national, departmental and municipal authorities of the political parties, people of both sexes must be included in the corresponding lists or rosters, in each shortlist of candidates, holders and substitutes in the total list or roster presented. (Election Law 19555/2018 - article 2)
Sources
LEGAL SOURCES:
- Constitution of Uruguay (amendment through 2004) - Spanish/ English
- Electoral Law - Link
- Political Parties Law 18485/2009 - Link
- Law on equal participation of people of both sexes in elective bodies and political parties (Law 18476/2009) (amended by law 19.555/2018) - Link
- Equal rights and opportunities between men and women in the republic (Law 18104/2007) - Link
OTHER SOURCES:
- Parliament of Uruguay - Link
- National Gender Council - Link
- Electoral Court - Link
- Approval of obligations emerging from international human rights law, in relation to equality and non-discrimination between men and women, including formal, substantive and recognition equality (Law 19846/2019) - Link
- Atenea initiative for the political rights of women in Latin America (UN Women - UNDP - International IDEA) - Link
- Inter-Parliamentary Union, IPU Parline Uruguay
Additional reading
- See the latest updates on Uruguay on iKNOW Politics
- Gender Equality Observatory for Latin America and the Caribbean: Uruguay (Official Website)
- UN Women. 2014. Ready for the lists, say Uruguayan Women. Fund for Gender Equality.
- Johnson, N. 2003. ‘La Cuota: un mecanismo necesario y efectivo para incrementar la participación de mujeres en cargos políticos relevantes? El caso uruguayo’ in A. Nelida (ed.) Estrategias Políticas de Género, Reformas Institucionales, Identidad y Acción Colectiva, Proyecto UBACYT, Buenos Aires: Instituto de Investigaciones – Facultad de Ciencias Sociales.
- 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.
- Aguirre, R. 2001. ‘La citoyenneté politique des femmes en Uruguay.’ Bérengère Marques-Pereira and Patricio Nolasco (eds.), La représentation politique des femmes en Amérique Latine. Brussels: L'Harmattan. pp. 139-161.
- Inter-Parliamentary Union. 1997a. Men and Women in Politics: Democracy Still in the Making, A World Comparative Study. Geneva: Inter-Parliamentary Union.
- Uruguay Parliament website, http://www.diputados.gub.uy/index.htm
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