Zimbabwe
Historical data on women
Data on women’s right to vote and to stand for election, the date at which the first woman entered parliament, and female Heads of State or Government
Women's suffrage
Date of independence
For countries that become independent after 1940
1980
Women’s right to vote
National or local
Suffrage: National or Local
National
Restricted or unrestricted suffrage
Suffrage: Restricted or Universal
Restricted
Detail of restrictions
Suffrage: Restrictions detail
European men and women only
Women’s right to vote
Year in which women obtained the right to vote
1957
National or local
Suffrage: National or Local
National
Restricted or unrestricted suffrage
Suffrage: Restricted or Universal
Restricted
Notes
Suffrage: Additional Notes on right of suffrage
Prior to independence, women were granted the right to vote under the following restrictions: Up to 1957, only men and European women could vote. In 1957, a qualified right to vote was extended to black married women. A wife was deemed to have the same means of qualifications as her husband, but in the case of a polygamous marriage, this privilege only applied to the first wife. Wives were required to have literacy in English and any educational qualifications in their own right. In order to be registered as a general voter, a person had to have one of four alternative qualifications: (i) income of £ 720 per annum or ownership or immovable property valued at £ 1,500; (ii) income of £ 3,480 per annum or ownership of immovable property valued at £ 1,000 plus the completion of a primary course of education of prescribed standard; (iii) being a minister of religion, who had undergone certain stipulated training and periods of service in the Ministry and who followed no other profession, trade or gainful occupation; (iv) being a chief as defined in the Act.
Women’s right to vote
Year in which women obtained the right to vote
1980
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, women were granted the right to vote under the following restrictions: Between 1919 and 1957, only men and European women could vote. In 1957, a qualified right to vote was extended to black married women. A wife was deemed to have the same means of qualifications as her husband, but in the case of a polygamous marriage, this privilege only applied to the first wife. Wives were required to have literacy in English and any educational qualifications in their own right. In order to be registered as a general voter, a person had to have one of four alternative qualifications: (i) income of £ 720 per annum or ownership or immovable property valued at £ 1,500; (ii) income of £ 3,480 per annum or ownership of immovable property valued at £ 1,000 plus the completion of a primary course of education of prescribed standard; (iii) being a minister of religion, who had undergone certain stipulated training and periods of service in the Ministry and who followed no other profession, trade or gainful occupation; (iv) being a chief as defined in the Act.
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
1980
National or local
Stand for Election: National or Local
National
Restricted or unrestricted suffrage
Stand for Election : Restricted or Universal
Universal
Notes
Stand for Election: Additional Notes on right to stand for election
Prior to independence, women were granted the right to vote and stand for election under the following restrictions: Between 1919 and 1957, only men and European women could vote. In 1957, a qualified right to vote was extended to black married women. A wife was deemed to have the same means of qualifications as her husband, but in the case of a polygamous marriage, this privilege only applied to the first wife. Wives were required to have literacy in English and any educational qualifications in their own right. In order to be registered as a general voter, a person had to have one of four alternative qualifications: (i) income of £ 720 per annum or ownership or immovable property valued at £ 1,500; (ii) income of £ 3,480 per annum or ownership of immovable property valued at £ 1,000 plus the completion of a primary course of education of prescribed standard; (iii) being a minister of religion, who had undergone certain stipulated training and periods of service in the Ministry and who followed no other profession, trade or gainful occupation; (iv) being a chief as defined in the Act.
First woman in parliament
First woman in parliament
Year in which first woman entered parliament
1980
Notes
First woman speaker
Year of first woman speaker
Date at which, for the first time in the country's parliamentary history, a woman became Presiding Officer of Parliament or of one of its Houses.
2005