Vanuatu Municipalities (Amendment) Act No. 11 of 2013

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In 2013, the Vanuatu Parliament passed a historic amendment to the Municipalities Act, providing for reserved seats for women in the municipal councils. The quota provision is regarded as a ‘special temporary measure’ and was implemented for the first time in the Port Vila Municipal Council elections that took place in December 2013. The Port Vila Municipal Council has 14 seats, 13 of which are currently occupied by male councillors. With this new Amendment Act, five seats will be reserved for women candidates at every municipal elections, and the women candidates running for the reserved seats will be elected from a separate ballot. A female candidate can either contest a reserved seat or a general seat in a ward.