(2017) 1 African Human Rights Yearbook 63 women in Zimbabwe remained largely tucked away and confined to domestic roles, and were not provided with opportunities and resources to be represented and competitively participate in public life. By the year 2000, women comprised only 1 per cent of the positions in key political and decision-making institutions.13 In Parliament, female representation ranged between 8 and 14 per cent in the period between 1980 and 2008.14 In the judiciary, women comprised only five of the 26 judges of the High Court by 2000.15 Women’s representation was also low in local governance, cabinet, the Senate and appointed decisionmaking bodies, including in civil service and parastatals. The ratification of the Protocol in 2008 was expected to improve women representation in key political and decision-making institutions in Zimbabwe. Indeed, women’s representation improved significantly in political and decision-making processes. This improvement was a result of the concerted efforts to implement the Protocol through constitutional and policy reforms, and other endeavours by state and non-state actors. However, this article notes that women are yet to enjoy equal participation in public life even with efforts to implement article 9 of the Protocol. In most cases, statistics in Zimbabwe show women comprising around 30 per cent, but that is still below the desired 50-50 representation. Notably, there continues to be few women managers, clerks and mayors in local government even after ratification of the Protocol.16 In various government ministries, including the Ministry of Women Affairs, Gender and Community Development, women comprise 30 per cent or less of senior managers.17 Similarly, the numbers of party candidates and elected women parliamentarians and councillors have been decreasing. After Zimbabwe’s 2013 elections, the number of elected women fell from 34 to 2618 for Parliament, and from 19 per cent to 16 per cent19 for local authorities. Additionally, the number of women who contested seats as National Assembly candidates fell from 105 in 2008 to 90 in 2013.20 Similarly, limited numbers of women participate in electoral processes and mainstream politics as voters and political party supporters. Zimbabwe remains lowly ranked with regards to women representation 13 UNIFEM Biennial Report: Progress of the World’s Women (2000). Gender Links SADC Gender Protocol Barometer 2013 Zimbabwe (Gender Links: Johannesburg 2015); R Gaidzanwa ‘Gender, Women and Electoral Politics in Zimbabwe’ (Electoral Institute of Southern Africa (EISA) Publications: Johannesburg 2004) http:// www.eisa.org.za (Accessed on 10 June 2017); C Dziva et al ‘No easy walk through primary elections for rural women in Zimbabwe’ (2013) 13 Journal of Humanities and Social Science 6 50-57. 15 UNDP (n 1 above). 16 M Zanhi ‘Is there political will to translate it into reality?’ (Legal Resources Foundation: Bulawayo 2013). 17 Gender Links SADC Gender Protocol Barometer 2015 Zimbabwe (Gender Links: Johannesburg 2015) 8. 18 Gender Links (n 14 above) 37. 19 Gender Links (as above). 20 Gender Links (as above) 36. 14