Commonwealth observers recommend law guaranteeing at least 33% women in Parliament

The Commonwealth Observer Group has recommended that Guyana, specifically the National Assembly and the Guyana Elections Commission (GECOM), revise its electoral legislation to ensure that at least 33 per cent of elected Members of Parliament (MPs) are women, advising that existing legal provisions, while progressive on paper, do not guarantee actual representation in the National Assembly.
In its final report on Guyana’s September 1, 2025, General and Regional Elections, the Group commended the peaceful conduct of the polls and significant improvements in electoral transparency but underscored the need for binding legal reforms to strengthen inclusion, credibility and public confidence in the democratic process.
Section 11B (5) of the Representation of the People Act (ROPA) requires political parties to ensure that women comprise at least 33 per cent of their submitted candidate lists, while Section 11B (8) mandates the submission of information on the proportion of women in the electorate.
However, the Commonwealth Group stressed that these provisions are not binding in practice and do not necessarily translate into at least 33 per cent of elected MPs being women.
“The participation of women as electoral candidates remains constrained,” the report stated, noting that the quota applies to lists, not to the allocation of seats.
Compounding this issue, the observers pointed out that the list of electors used at polling stations is not disaggregated by sex, making it impossible to operationalise certain gender-related provisions of the law.

Women’s representation
Despite these gaps, the Group commended Guyana for its high level of women’s political participation. Women accounted for 39 per cent of candidates in the 2020 elections, rising to 50 per cent in the 2025 polls.
The 2025 elections also marked a milestone with the emergence of new political parties, two of which were led by women presidential candidates. Women were also represented among three prime ministerial candidates, as well as in both general and regional races.
While women’s representation in the National Assembly remains above 33 per cent, the Group cautioned that this outcome is not guaranteed by law and called for legislative reform to ensure the quota is binding and enforceable, supported by compliance mechanisms.
Data shared by GECOM with the Commonwealth Group showed that, of the 757,690 registered electors, 50.28 per cent were female and 49.72 per cent were male.
“GECOM shared with the Group the official electors’ data disaggregated by sex. This indicated that, of the total of 757,690 registered electors, 49.72 per cent were male and 50.28 per cent were female. GECOM did not provide an analysis of other aspects, such as age or disability. The disaggregated data was also not publicly available on GECOM’s website. The Group notes that information about sex, age and disability is collected by GECOM as part of the registration process. Analysis of this information could enhance transparency and also enable GECOM to plan more effectively to accommodate disability, as well as in tailoring outreach and communication,” the report said.

No quotas, limited data for youth participation
The report also examined youth participation, noting that the National Youth Policy (2015) defines youth as persons under the age of 35 and that, as of 2021, an estimated two-thirds of Guyana’s population was under that threshold. Despite this demographic reality, the observers found that there are no quotas, reserved seats or special measures to facilitate youth participation in political life.
According to the Inter-Parliamentary Union, in the 2020 Parliament there was one female MP under the age of 30 and 20 MPs aged between 31 and 40. GECOM does not collect age-disaggregated data on electors or candidates, limiting analysis.
While young people were well represented among polling staff, the lack of data prevented accurate assessment. The Group recommended greater youth engagement, including involving young people in the development of targeted voter education materials.
The Group urged Guyana to move beyond aspirational targets and adopt binding measures that ensure inclusion is not only encouraged but guaranteed in future elections.

Peaceful polls,
improved transparency
Outside of the concerns highlighted, the Commonwealth observers praised the calm environment in which the elections were held, noting that election-related procedures were largely respected and that calls for peace and national unity issued by President Dr Mohamed Irfaan Ali, the Guyana Elections Commission (GECOM), and political party leaders were widely observed.
On Election Day, polling staff were described as professional, courteous and well prepared, with information desks, signage and voter materials effectively guiding electors, despite some inconsistencies in signage.
Security arrangements were also found to be well coordinated, contributing to a voting, counting and tabulation process that was peaceful, transparent and generally well managed.
The Group highlighted major improvements since previous elections, particularly GECOM’s updated electoral manuals, the decentralisation of the counting process, and the simultaneous electronic posting of polling station results, which significantly enhanced transparency and accuracy.