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‘For the Elections, We Want Women!’: Closing the Gender Gap in Zambian Politics

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  • Alice Evans

Abstract

type="main"> This article examines the causes of women's rising political participation in Zambia. It argues that women's historical paucity in politics was largely the result of widely-shared gender stereotypes. These are now weakening due to growing flexibility in gender divisions of labour, which has been catalysed by worsening economic security. By performing work previously presumed to be beyond their abilities and valorized because of its association with masculinity, such women are increasingly perceived as equally capable of leadership. This gradual erosion of gender beliefs has fostered women's political participation and leadership in Zambia.

Suggested Citation

  • Alice Evans, 2016. "‘For the Elections, We Want Women!’: Closing the Gender Gap in Zambian Politics," Development and Change, International Institute of Social Studies, vol. 47(2), pages 388-411, March.
  • Handle: RePEc:bla:devchg:v:47:y:2016:i:2:p:388-411
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    File URL: http://hdl.handle.net/10.1111/dech.12224
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    1. Evans, Alice, 2014. "'Women can do what men can do': the causes and consequences of flexibility in gender divisions of labour in Kitwe, Zambia," LSE Research Online Documents on Economics 59192, London School of Economics and Political Science, LSE Library.
    2. Raymundo Miguel Campos-Vazquez & Roberto Velez-Grajales, 2014. "Female Labour Supply and Intergenerational Preference Formation: Evidence for Mexico," Oxford Development Studies, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 42(4), pages 553-569, December.
    3. Cecile Jackson, 2012. "Speech, Gender and Power: Beyond Testimony," Development and Change, International Institute of Social Studies, vol. 43(5), pages 999-1023, September.
    4. Ross, Michael L., 2008. "Oil, Islam, and Women," American Political Science Review, Cambridge University Press, vol. 102(1), pages 107-123, February.
    5. Raquel Fernández & Alessandra Fogli & Claudia Olivetti, 2004. "Mothers and Sons: Preference Formation and Female Labor Force Dynamics," The Quarterly Journal of Economics, President and Fellows of Harvard College, vol. 119(4), pages 1249-1299.
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    Cited by:

    1. Breuer, Anita & Asiedu, Edward, 2017. "Can Gender-Targeted Employment Interventions Help Enhance Community Participation? Evidence from Urban Togo," World Development, Elsevier, vol. 96(C), pages 390-407.

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