22/04/2026
DAY 2 HIGHLIGHT | Session Political Parties – Enablers or Gatekeepers
As part of the Accelerating Women’s Political Participation and Leadership Conference, the ZCID led Session 8, focusing on the critical role political parties play in advancing gender equality.
Moderated by Mrs
Doreen Njovu - Kabwe Executive Director of ZCID, the session brought together political party leaders to reflect on their policies and practices regarding:
🔹 Women’s inclusion in leadership structures (including youth and persons with disabilities)
🔹 Candidate selection and nomination processes
The panel featured representatives political parties, including the Patriotic Front (PF), United Party for National Development (UPND), Party for National Unity and Progress (PNUP), Forum for Democracy and Development (FDD), and Citizens First (CF).
💬 The discussion sparked honest reflections on whether political parties are truly enabling women’s participationor acting as gatekeepers and emphasized the need for deliberate reforms and stronger commitments.
Gender Division – GD
Non-governmental Gender Organisations’ Coordinating Council
United Nations in Zambia
Zambia Centre for Inter-Party Dialogue – ZCID