Gender Quotas Database
Congo, Democratic Republic of
Middle Africa
Single / Lower House
Assemblee nationale / National Assembly
Total seats | 477 |
Total women | 61 |
Percentage of women | 13% |
Gender Quota target | |
Election year | 2023 |
Electoral system |
|
Quota type | No legislated |
Election details | IDEA Voter Turnout - IPU Parline |
Upper House
Sénat / Senate
Total seats | 109 |
Total women | 26 |
Percentage of women | 24% |
Gender Quota target | |
Election year | 2007 |
Electoral system | Indirectly elected |
Quota type | No legislated |
Election details | IPU Parline |
Legal source | Details | |
---|---|---|
Quota type: No legislated | Constitution |
Women have the right to equal representation in national, provincial and local institutions. The State shall ensure the implementation of parity between men and women in such institutions. The procedures for the implementation of these rights shall be established by law. (Article 14 of the 2006 Constitution, as amended in 2011) |
Electoral law |
Each party list is established taking into account the representation of men and women. (Article 13 of the 2006 Electoral Law as amended in 2017) |
|
Legal sanctions for non-compliance | Electoral law |
The electoral law does not provide for any sanctions for non-compliance with the parity principle. ‘The non-compliance with parity between men and women does not entail the rejection of a candidate list’ (Article 13 of the 2006 Electoral Law as amended in 2017). |
Voluntary Political Party Quotas*
Party | Official Name | Details, Quota provisions |
---|---|---|
No data available. |
* 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
Considering the lack of enforcement mechanisms and measures to encourage the participation of women in politics, the quota provisions fell short of ensuring equal representation of men and women in the 2011 legislative elections. As a result, women constituted only 12.05 per cent of the total number of candidates and subsequently won only 9 % of the seats in the National Assembly.
Women have the right to equal representation in national, provincial and local institutions. The state shall ensure the implementation of parity between men and women in such institutions. The procedures for the implementation of these rights shall be established by law. (Article 14 of the 2006 Constitution, as amended in 2011).
Each party list is established taking into account the representation of men and women. (Article 13 of the 2006 Electoral Law as amended in 2017).
The electoral law does not provide for any sanctions for non-compliance with the parity principle. ‘The non-compliance with parity between men and women does not entail the rejection of a candidate list’ (Article 13 of the 2006 Electoral Law as amended in 2017).
For Local government: The composition of the bureau of the deliberative body must take into consideration the representation of the woman (Organic Law n. 08/016 of 7 October 2008, Art.20).
For provinces: The composition of the Provincial government must take into account provincial representativeness and women (Law n.08/012 of 31 July 2008 on the fundamental principles related to the free administration of provinces, Art.23)
Sources
Additional reading
- Guyguy, C. (2020). Parity in political institutions in the DR.Congo for the emergence of the good governance: Low representation of women in the national executive institutions. Open Journal of Social Science, 8, 210-231. doi:10.4236/jss.2020.85015.
- Bihamba, J. (2018). Peace and equal political participation of women in the DRC.
- Selimovic, J. M., Brandt, Å. N., & Jacobson, A. S. (2018). Equal power – Lasting peace obstacles for women’s participation in peace processes. The Democratic Republic of Congo. [Kvinna till Kvinna Foundation]
- Lukamba, T. & Vyas-Doorgapersad, S. (2011). The status and political participation of women in the Democratic Republic of Congo (1960-2010): A critical historical reflection.
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