GENDER RESPONSIVE BUDGETING IMFO WOMEN IN LOCAL GOVERNMENT SEMINAR ELICC 7 February 2013

1. GENDER RESPONSIVE BUDGETING IMFO WOMEN IN LOCAL GOVERNMENT SEMINAR ELICC 7 February 2013 Lungelwa dlulisa

2. DEFINITIONS UNEG (UNITED NATIONS ENTITY FOR GENDER & WOMEN EMPOWERMENT • A government plan, programme or budget that contributes in advancing gender equality and human rights fulfilment. • It identifies and reflects the needed interventions to address gender gaps in the government sector’s policies, plans and budgets COMMON WEALTH • A budget that provides the means for determining the effect of government revenue & expenditure policies according to gender • Budgets that seek to create a direct linkage between socio-economic policies to the formulation and implementation of government budgets

3. RATIONALE Despite signs of commitment, progress, of gender equality remains slow- African female headed households are the poorest in SA • BUDGETS • Implementing commitments towards gender equality requires intentional measures to incorporate gender perspectives in planning or budgetary frameworks • The most comprehensive statements of any governments’ socio-economic plans & priorities: • They determine how public funds are raised, used and the beneficiaries • GENDER MAINTSREAMING • GRB was designed as an application of gender mainstreaming • Gender issues should be introduced into the core of government operations • Provides practical opportunity for all spheres of government to develop skills for applying gender tools in their programmes

4. CONCEPTUAL, LEGAL & POLICY FRAMEWORK • Preceding the 1994 elections, SA people expressed their vision, hopes, values, plans for new SA • Documented in number of documents such as Freedom and Women’s Charters & RDP? • RDP aimed at ensuring SA’s resources would be used in ensuring they alleviated poverty and ensure economic growth redistribution • It incorporated significant elements of the Freedom Charter and the women’s attempt to engender the RDP yielded success • RSA took certain measures as their commitment to gender equality and empowerment of women through antidiscrimination legislation and affirmative action policies • Section 9 of the Constitution (1996) • Employment Equity Act (1998) • Promotion of Equality and Prevention of unfair Discrimination Act (2000) • MFMA and Regulations (regulation budgeting)

5. COUNTRY PERSPECTIVES • Many governments resorting to Gender Responsive Budgeting (GRB) in achieving promote gender equality • AUSTRALIA (1984) - regarded as pioneers in gender budgeting with focus on expenditure though only 1% of budget allocation benefitted women • INDIA (1980) – took form of social audits and provided lessons to all about the right to adequate information for all and a strong civil society movement • TANZANIA – a unique case as the budget process was driven by NGO leading to a coalition consisting of Ministry of Finance, Planning Commission, Academics, Gender Activists etc • SOUTH AFRICA – South Africa was the first nation to join the pilot project on gender budget analysis initiated by the Commonwealth Secretariat. • SA’s Women’s Budget Initiative was launched in late 1995 • with the collaborative efforts from various stakeholders

6. THREATS TO GRB Is it a matter of political will ? • lack of recognition that issues of women’s empowerment and the promotion of gender equality need to be placed high amongst organisational strategic objectives, and not as a separate ‘add on’ matter. • too involved in other concerns to devote the resources to reform • not concerned about changes that no voters are demanding • political will grows as cultural expectations evolve, but some actions can provide more immediate incentives to change. What should be done? • institutionalise gender responsive budgeting process • build capacity for gender mainstreaming and gender responsive budgeting at the local level • ensure gender-responsive appropriations and budget allocations • ensure gender-sensitive public participation and consultations at the local level

7. FINDINGS IDP and Budget reviews revealed GRB is limited to local government sector • Inadequate sex disaggregated data for gender mainstreaming budgets • Lack of gender budgeting training and capacity building of decision makers • Poor institutionalising of gender mainstreaming and gender responsive budgeting • No approved gender policies across all municipalities • No gender mainstreaming strategies • Finding.docx

8. RECCOMMENDATIONS What can be done • Ensure that municipality benchmarking exercises include gender budget variables • Provide gender budgeting guidelines • Provide guidelines for collecting sex disaggregated data for budgeting processes • Budget Assessments • Build capacity to analyse budgets from a gender perspective What should local governments do? • Frequent reporting on women’s representation • Incentives for progress • Educate voters on the value of women’s leadership • Encourage and empower them to voice their support for it

9. CONCLUSION • Implementation of gender equality is first and foremost the responsibility of all the institutions in government. • To achieve gender equality, the government must embark on a rigorous gender mainstreaming strategy • If you want to effectively tackle gender inequality, you need to measure its indicators and identify its underlying causes. • Putting local governments in the know is half the battle.

10. ldlulisa@salga.org.za012-369 8075082 815 0016