Rights group: Budget not progressive enough on gender issues

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

The Gender Budget Group (GBG) pointed out that 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 in a statement yesterday.

It 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, it 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 added.

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

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

Older budgets

The gender rights group 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, it said this raises questions about monitoring and evaluation.

“Was an evaluation conducted on the previous budget measure for D11? Was the allocation this year increased, maintained or decreased?

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

To achieve this, policy-making must be viewed through the gender lens from the 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,” the group said.

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

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