Zambia Convenes High Level Conference to Accelerate Women’s Political Participation Ahead of the 2026 Elections.
Source: UNDP
Lusaka, Zambia | 21 April 2026 — The United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), in partnership with the Gender Division, the Non‑Governmental Gender Organizations’ Coordinating Council (NGOCC), the Spotlight Initiative, the Electoral Commission of Zambia (ECZ), the Zambia Centre for Interparty Dialogue (ZCID), and UN Women convened a three‑day High‑Level Conference on Accelerated Women’s Political Participation and Leadership in Zambia, ahead of the 2026 General Elections.
Anchored within UNDP’s Africa Facility for Women in Political Leadership (AFWPL), the conference provides a national platform for evidence‑based dialogue, political commitment, and coordinated action to address the structural barriers hindering women’s participation in politics. These include patriarchal norms, gender‑based violence, limited access to campaign financing, exclusion from political party decision‑making structures, and inadequate media visibility.
With just four years remaining to the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, Zambia faces a critical challenge in achieving women’s full, equal, and effective participation in political leadership. Despite progressive policies and legal frameworks, women remain significantly underrepresented in decision‑making positions across the country.
In a speech read on his behalf by the Minister of Justice, Hon. Princess Kasune, the Republican President, Mr. Hakainde Hichilema, emphasized that inclusive governance is impossible without women’s leadership. The President noted that “when women participate fully, governance becomes more responsive and reflective of the realities of our people. When women lead, nations do not merely grow; they advance with purpose, balance, and vision.”
Lusaka, Zambia | 21 April 2026 — The United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), in partnership with the Gender Division, the Non‑Governmental Gender Organizations’ Coordinating Council (NGOCC), the Spotlight Initiative, the Electoral Commission of Zambia (ECZ), the Zambia Centre for Interparty Dialogue (ZCID), and UN Women convened a three‑day High‑Level Conference on Accelerated Women’s Political Participation and Leadership in Zambia, ahead of the 2026 General Elections.
Anchored within UNDP’s Africa Facility for Women in Political Leadership (AFWPL), the conference provides a national platform for evidence‑based dialogue, political commitment, and coordinated action to address the structural barriers hindering women’s participation in politics. These include patriarchal norms, gender‑based violence, limited access to campaign financing, exclusion from political party decision‑making structures, and inadequate media visibility.
With just four years remaining to the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, Zambia faces a critical challenge in achieving women’s full, equal, and effective participation in political leadership. Despite progressive policies and legal frameworks, women remain significantly underrepresented in decision‑making positions across the country.
In a speech read on his behalf by the Minister of Justice, Hon. Princess Kasune, the Republican President, Mr. Hakainde Hichilema, emphasized that inclusive governance is impossible without women’s leadership. The President noted that “when women participate fully, governance becomes more responsive and reflective of the realities of our people. When women lead, nations do not merely grow; they advance with purpose, balance, and vision.”