146 Kariseb/Implementation of article 9 of the Women’s Rights Protocol in Namibia consists of five Commissioners, of which two are female, including its chairperson. It seems as if the two current seats held by the female candidates on the ECN board is a fulfilment of the provisions of section 6(2) of the Electoral Act, which provides that ‘at least two members of the Commission must be women’. In a similar fashion, the composition of the LRDC displays an even representation of women. Of the eight Commissioners holding seats, four, including the current chairperson, are female. 4.2 Political determinants for the increased women’s political participation in Namibia Given the advances made in integrating women within political spaces in Namibia, as discussed above, the question remains as to what are the factors that have given rise to this progressive increase of women in these spaces. Put differently, what are the social, legal and political determinants, if any, that has led to the drastic, yet gradual increase of women in political spaces in Namibia? In response to this question, I argue that there are two main determinants that have contributed to the advancement of women within political and decision-making processes and organs in Namibia. The first proposition is that there has been a shift in the political thought of the ruling party SWAPO (and as a consequence in central government) on the role of women in society generally but more specially in political spaces. To give meaning to this revived gender consciousness temporary special measures through gender quotas aided the proliferation of women in government and other key decision-making processes. The second determinant is premised on political will and commitment from the political establishment, predominantly from the ruling SWAPO party government. In what follows below, a brief elaboration is made of these two factors. 4.2.1 Temporary special measures/gender quotas and increased ‘gender consciousness’ as a determinant for women’s political advancement The introduction of gender quotas contributed immensely to the incremental increase of women in political spaces in Namibia. Although there are no formal temporary special measures provided in the Namibia Constitution, the ruling SWAPO government voluntarily introduced a 50/50 gender representation quota system at party level as a means to ensure equal gender representation in national government. Since the introduction of these affirmative action measures, female parliamentary representation has increased drastically in both the Lower and Upper Houses of Parliament. In compliance with article 23(3) of the Namibian constitution (read together with article 95(a)), various gender quotas for women have been introduced in public entities, further cementing women’s representation in public decision-making organs and processes.