Bridging the Gender Gap and Promoting Representation of Women in the National Parliament: A Comparative Analysis Study of South Africa and Lesotho

Abstract

This research paper aims to discuss one of most significant issues that many developing countries are grappling with: the gender representation gap in the African political sphere. The purpose of this research paper is to make a comparison in terms of the available legislative frameworks of South Africa and the kingdom of Lesotho. This research focused on bridging the gender gap and promoting the representation of women in the national parliaments of South Africa and Lesotho. In this article significant efforts were made to explore goal three of the Millennium Development Goals (MDG) which deals with the promotion of equality and empowerment of women. The following aspects were considered: the promotion of access to higher education for women, the protection offered by the constitution and the elimination of discriminatory practices against women, legislative provision in bridging the gender gap and affirmative action policy. The methodology that was adopted in this article was a qualitative approach. An unobtrusive method was employed to analyse the secondary data. The aim of this research is to contribute to and enhance the relevant body of knowledge. Although serious strides have been made in closing the gender representation gap and promoting women in politics, some countries are still lagging behind in the representation of women in key influential positions like parliament. However, other African countries have made progress in empowering women in their respective countries. This includes countries like Rwanda, where the national parliament consists of more than 63% women. Finding are discussed in greater detail as well as the limitations of the study, and lastly possible recommendations are explored.