At IYWD, we believe in “thinking otherwise.” We believe in challenging the very foundations of power that keep young women marginalized. So let’s talk about the women’s political quota—the 60 seats in Parliament reserved for women.

On the surface, it looks like progress. And in 2013, it was. We celebrated as women’s representation in Parliament shot up from a dismal 17% to over 30%, meeting the international benchmark for “critical mass”. It was a victory born from love for our country and a demand for our rightful place in its leadership.

But a decade later, our outrage is growing. Because a seat at the table is not the same as a voice that is heard. A seat at the table is not the same as real power. And now, the evidence is clear: the quota system, designed to empower us, is being used to contain us.

While the 60 reserved seats keep the overall number of women in Parliament looking respectable, the number of women winning elections in their own right—in directly contested constituencies—has collapsed. In the 2023 elections, only 22 women won constituency seats, a shocking 11% of the total.

What does this tell us? It tells us that the male-dominated political parties are using the quota as a “political ghetto.” They tick the gender box with the 60 reserved seats and then tell aspiring female leaders, “We gave you your seats, what more do you want?”. They push women out of competitive races, denying them support and resources, and ensuring that real power remains firmly in the hands of men. The quota has become an excuse for inaction, a shield for patriarchy.

This isn’t just a numbers game. This is about the soul of our politics. The political space in Zimbabwe remains a violent, hostile environment for women. Female candidates are targeted with sexual harassment, character assassination, and physical violence, designed to break their spirit and drive them out. They are told they are too weak, too emotional, or morally loose. They are denied the financial backing that their male counterparts take for granted.

This is not equality. This is tokenism. And we refuse to be tokens.

It is time to “think otherwise” about the quota. A seat at a table designed by and for a patriarchal system will never be enough. It’s time to demand we dismantle the table and build a new one.

What does that look like? It looks like legislated party quotas for directly contested seats, forcing parties to field, fund, and support women in winnable constituencies. It looks like zero tolerance for political violence, with clear policies within parties to protect women from harassment and abuse. It looks like us, the young women of IYWD and our allies, building a new pipeline of fierce, feminist leaders who are ready not just to occupy seats, but to claim power.

The extension of the quota to 2038 gives us time, but it cannot be time for more of the same. It must be time for radical change. We honor the women who hold those 60 seats, and we must amplify their work. But our ultimate goal is not to rely on reserved seats. Our goal is a political system where a woman’s right to lead is never questioned, where her path to power is not paved with violence and disrespect.

A seat is not the prize. Power is. And we are coming for it.