New Parline: the IPU’s Open Data Platform (beta)
Your one-stop-shop for information about national parliaments

Malawi

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National Assembly

Political system Political systems: Presidential, Parliamentary, Presidential-Parliamentary, Monarchy, Communist, Transitional.
Presidential system
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Structure of parliament Structure of parliament: Unicameral, bicameral
Unicameral
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IPU membership Current membership status
Yes
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Data on women

empty

Basic information > About parliament

Speaker

Speaker
Catherine Gotani Hara (Female)
Additional information
Elected on 19 June 2019.
See historical data for this field.

Secretary general

Secretary General
Fiona Kalemba (Female)

Members

Current number of members, by sex
Men The number of male parliamentarians who currently hold seats in parliament.
148
Women The number of female parliamentarians who currently hold seats in parliament.
44
See historical data for this field.
Percentage of women Calculated by dividing the current number of women by the current number of members.
22.92% See historical data for this field.

Age

Average age of all members
Not available
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Youngest member (years) Age at the time of the last election or renewal.
21
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Youngest member
Fyness Magonjwa (Female)

Reserved seats and quotas

Electoral quota for women Quotas to promote the representation of women in parliament.
Yes
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Notes
Some political parties allocate/reserve a certain percentage of seats for women.
Elections > Election results

Candidates

Total number of candidates Total number of people who registered as candidates for election. Does not include people who stood as candidates to become "substitute members".
1,329
Number of female candidates Number of female candidates
295
Percentage of women candidates The percentage is calculated by dividing the number of women candidates by the total number of candidates.
22.2%
Number of candidates, by sex
Number of female candidates Number of female candidates
295
Percentage of women candidates The percentage is calculated by dividing the number of women candidates by the total number of candidates.
22.2%

Results

Members elected, by sex
Number of men elected
148
Number of women elected
44
Percentage of women elected The percentage is calculated by dividing the number of women elected in the election and the number of seats at stake at the election.
22.8%
Number of women after election or renewal, by mode of designation
Women Directly Elected
44

New legislature

Total number of men after the election The total number of male parliamentarians in this parliament/chamber following the election or renewal, regardless of their modes of designation.
148
Total number of women after the election The total number of female parliamentarians in this parliament/chamber following the election or renewal, regardless of their modes of designation.
44
First Speaker of the new legislature
First Speaker of the new legislature First name of the Speaker of the new legislature following the election or renewal.
Catherine Gotani Hara (Female)
Political party
Malawi Congress Party (MCP)
Date of election
19.06.2019
Elections > Historical data on women

Women's suffrage

Date of independence For countries that become independent after 1940
1964
Women’s right to vote
Women’s right to vote Year in which women obtained the right to vote
1964
National or local Suffrage: National or Local
National
Restricted or unrestricted suffrage Suffrage: Restricted or Universal
Universal
Notes Suffrage: Additional Notes on right of suffrage
Prior to independence, under British administration, women were granted the right to vote under the constitution of 1961. This right was confirmed at independence.
Women’s right to stand for election
Women's right to stand for election Year in which women obtained the right to stand for election
1964
National or local Stand for Election: National or Local
National
Notes Stand for Election: Additional Notes on right to stand for election
Prior to independence, under British administration, women were granted the right to vote and stand for election under the constitution of 1961. These rights was confirmed at independence.
First woman in parliament
First woman in parliament Year in which first woman entered parliament
1964
Parliamentary bodies > Caucuses

Women

Caucus name
Women's Parliamentary Caucus of Malawi (2002-01)
Date of creation
01.2002
Formal or informal
Formal
The caucus is open to male MPs
No
The caucus is cross-party
Yes
Notes
The Caucus was set up in 2002 and recognised as a Committee in 2010
There are rules governing the functioning of the caucus
No
Issues dealt with by the caucus
- The Caucus has considered a number of policy issues and gender-related law such as the Child Care, Protection and Justice Act of 2010, the Deceased Estates (Wills, Inheritance and Protection) Act of 2011 and the Gender Equality Bill passed in Parliament in 2013. The Caucus has built networks with many women within and outside Malawi. Members have monitored activities that promote the economic empowerment of rural women. They have carried consultative meetings with the community in their constituencies on the issues which affect women: gender equality in political representation; securing better access to poorer women to microloans; securing sustainable access to clean water and securing better reproductive health. - The Caucus lobbied the Department of Reproductive Health and the Ministry of Finance for an increase in the budget allocation on family planning in Malawi to ensure that the problem of maternal mortality is reduced in the country.
The caucus has a strategic plan or plan of action
No
The caucus has a communication plan
No
Caucus contact details