A Watershed Moment, or Business as Usual? Female Candidates and Quota Implementation in the 2016 Samoan Election

Baker, Kerryn

Cultural advice

The Australian National University acknowledges, celebrates and pays our respects to the Ngunnawal and Ngambri people of the Canberra region and to all First Nations Australians on whose traditional lands we meet and work, and whose cultures are among the oldest continuing cultures in human history.

Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples are advised that ANU Library collections may include images, names, voices, and other representations of deceased persons.

Material in the collection may contain terms, language or views that reflect the period in which the item was created and may be considered inappropriate today.

A Watershed Moment, or Business as Usual? Female Candidates and Quota Implementation in the 2016 Samoan Election

Date

2016

Authors

Baker, Kerryn

Publisher

Canberra, ACT : Coral Bell School of Asia Pacific Affairs, College of Asia and the Pacific, The Australian National University

Abstract

The 2016 general election was the first ever held in Samoa using a constitutionally mandated minimum guaranteed level of women’s representation. The ‘safety net’ gender quota meant that if fewer than five women were elected, additional women members of parliament (MPs) would be appointed to ensure there was a minimum of five. These additional members would be the highest-polling (by percentage) unsuccessful women candidates.