An electrical connection system including a first connector housing containing associated electrical contacts and a second connector housing containing associated mating electrical contacts configured to mate with the first connector housing and the first connector housing 's associated electrical contacts along a mating axis, and the first connector housing further includes a mating assist lever pivotally mounted to the first connector housing and configured to rotationally pivot between an inoperative position and a closed position, the improvement comprising: said mating assist lever including a locking means disposed on said mating assist lever, wherein said locking means comprises, a rigid beam, a flexible beam spaced apart from the rigid beam, and a U-shaped element, wherein a first end of said U-shaped element communicates with the rigid beam and a second end of said U-shaped element communicates with the flexible beam, wherein said flexible beam further includes a tab that extends outwardly away from the flexible beam and wherein the flexible beam movingly flexes such that the tab clears a fixed locking tab disposed on an external surface of the second connector housing to latchingly secure the first connector housing to the second connector housing when the first connector housing is mated to the second connector housing, a first force being applied to movingly rotate said mating assist lever to the closed position and said force being applied against the U-shaped element of said locking means is a second force and wherein said second force is different from said first force; the electrical connection system further includes a connector position assurance member, slidably mounted on the mating assist lever and configured to slide in a direction transverse to the mating axis between the inoperative position and a locked position, said connection position assurance member includes a planar base member, an engagement end extends away from base member 90 and is configured to engage an area enclosed by U-shaped element 40 when connection position assurance member is disposed in said locked position, thereby preventing displacement of said locking means when the connector position assurance member is disposed in the locked position. said mating assist lever including a locking means disposed on said mating assist lever, wherein said locking means comprises, a rigid beam, a flexible beam spaced apart from the rigid beam, and a U-shaped element, wherein a first end of said U-shaped element communicates with the rigid beam and a second end of said U-shaped element communicates with the flexible beam, wherein said flexible beam further includes a tab that extends outwardly away from the flexible beam and wherein the flexible beam movingly flexes such that the tab clears a fixed locking tab disposed on an external surface of the second connector housing to latchingly secure the first connector housing to the second connector housing when the first connector housing is mated to the second connector housing, a first force being applied to movingly rotate said mating assist lever to the closed position and said force being applied against the U-shaped element of said locking means is a second force and wherein said second force is different from said first force; the electrical connection system further includes a connector position assurance member, slidably mounted on the mating assist lever and configured to slide in a direction transverse to the mating axis between the inoperative position and a locked position, said connection position assurance member includes a planar base member, an engagement end extends away from base member 90 and is configured to engage an area enclosed by U-shaped element 40 when connection position assurance member is disposed in said locked position, thereby preventing displacement of said locking means when the connector position assurance member is disposed in the locked position.