Towards Achievement of Gender Parity in Decision Making? Experience from the Participation of Male and Female MPs in the Parliament of Tanzania

Abstract

There have been gradual efforts to increase the number of female MPs in Tanzania through women empowerment creation of quotas (special seats) to enable them play an active role in this important decision making body. This article seeks to find out whether the increase in number of women MPs in the Tanzanian Parliament has influenced women’s degree of intervention in terms of: (1) asking basic questions; (2) asking supplementary questions; and (3) making contribution to parliamentary discussions. We obtained data from the official website of the Parliament of Tanzania, and analyzed them through descriptive statistics and multiple linear regression analysis. The results suggest that an increase in number of female MPs will increase their level of intervention; hence, we are inclined to the conclusion that numbers matter in determining female MPs’ influence in the Parliament.