Rights group: Budget not progressive enough on gender issues

 

The Budget 2023 that was tabled by Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim yesterday does not take a gender-responsive approach, said a gender rights coalition.

The Gender Budget Group (GBG), in a statement yesterday, said more can be done to ensure it is truly gender-responsive.

“Since 2021 and over the course of two budget cycles, GBG has advocated for and promoted gender-responsive budgeting (GRB) across national budget policies and allocations.

“GRB is an approach critical to ensuring that gender equality considerations are taken into account in tax and spending decisions,” the group said.

They acknowledged that there are allocations in the budget to incentivise women to return to the workforce after giving birth, attention to childcare accessibility and support for women-run micro businesses.

However, they said the lack of “crosscutting focus” on gender in various sectors and ministries is concerning.

“Addressing gaps in gender does not solely fall under the mandate of the Women, Family and Community Development Ministry.

“It must be implemented by all government agencies, especially if they wish to eradicate hardcore poverty,” GBG said.

Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim

For example, allocations for childcare could have considered the needs of women employed in the informal sector, they said.

TVET education programmes could also have been calibrated to ensure higher enrolment and retention rates for women, who face greater economic consequences for dropping out of school, they added.

Older budgets

The gender rights group also noted that certain policies in Budget 2023 were carried over from older budgets, such as the continued emphasis on supporting the police’s sexual crimes unit (D11).

However, they said this raises questions about monitoring and evaluation.

“Was evaluation of the previous budget measure for D11 conducted? Is their allocation this year increased, maintained or decreased?

“Monitoring and evaluation of budget measures are essential to ensure minimal wastage and effective allocation of resources,” they said.

The aforementioned gaps in Budget 2023 show that decision-makers must expand their understanding of a holistic gender-responsive approach that goes beyond a superficial view of gender issues.

In order to achieve this, policy-making must be viewed through the gender lens from the very beginning, and not appended as an afterthought, GBG said.

“Women make up more than half the population, therefore the budgetary needs of women, families and vulnerable communities must be viewed in an inclusive, cross-cutting manner.

“This is indispensable to a budget that supports gender equality and sustainably serves the interests of all,” they said.

GBG is a coalition of 21 civil society organisations and 16 academics, spearheaded by Engender Consultancy and the Women’s Aid Organisation. - Mkini