28 years of Electoral Integrity & Women Championing Democracy as we pave a way to 2026 LGE

Made with Restream. Livestream on 30+ platforms at once via https://restream.io The Electoral Commission of South Africa (IEC) has been vital in promoting democracy by conducting free and fair elections since 1997. As it marks its 28th anniversary this year, we celebrate its journey of electoral integrity and reflect on the representation of women in government and leadership in the country. Since 1994, South Africa has made progress in gender equality, but women's representation in parliament has been declining. Out of the 400 members of the National Assembly elected in 2024, only 43.5% of elected representatives are women, which was a decline from 46% in 2019. A democracy that includes all voices stands strong. Women have stood tall and proud in our democratic journey, currently accounting for 55% of registered voters, 58% of voters in elections. However, only 32% of mayoral positions are held by women. In municipal workforces, women occupied only 39% of senior-level positions, with many municipalities falling short of the 50% target set in the Women Empowerment and Gender Equality Bill. Factors like limited mobility, safety concerns, and socio-cultural constraints affect women's participation, especially from rural areas. Today, we are joined by the IEC to unpack these issues for the next 30 minutes. stay tuned and engage with the IEC.