The Foundation for Democratic Process (FODEP has implored political parties to consider fielding more women to contest Parliamentary seats this year.
FODEP Executive Director, McDonald Chipenzi, said adopting women, especially in stronghold constituencies, will help increase the number of women presentation in parliament.
He was speaking in a presentation to the on-going national conference on increasing women’s representation and participation in the 2016 tripartite elections in Zambia.
Mr Chipenzi observed that if women are left to battle with men in constituencies outside strongholds of political parties very few women will manage to get seats in Parliament.
Meanwhile, Mr Chipenzi has observed that unfavourable electoral system in the country has contributed to women not participating in politics.
He cited exorbitant nomination fees and electoral violence as some of the reasons why women shun joining politics.
Mr Chipenzi further observed that the requirement of a Grade 12 Certificate for one to contents for a Parliamentary seat or ward will deter women in rural areas to participate in politics.
In a related development, former Federation for Free Trade Union of Zambia (FFTUZ) president, Joyce Nonde, revealed that people in rural areas are the ones who submitted for the inclusion of a Grade 12 certificate in the Willa Mung’ombe Draft Constitution.
Mrs Nonde said she was part of the committee that received submissions from rural areas where delegates demanded Members of Parliament and councillors to possess a Grade 12 Certificate.
She noted that in rural areas there are some Grade 12 residents who have completed school and not the perception people hold that there are no such educated people in remote parts of the country.
