Gender budget needs overhaul, study finds

A study on gender budget has recommended reviewing the entire procedure of formulating gender-responsive policies related to project allocation under different ministries for true budget execution, as it failed to address issues of women and children.

The study, conducted jointly by Bangladesh Mahila Parishad (BMP) and SANEM (South Asian Network on Economic Modeling), also suggested altering the gender budget plan as it lacks gender-specific risks and challenges in the aftermath of Covid-19.

Dr Sayma Haque Bidisha, an economics professor at the University of Dhaka, presented the study report at a stakeholder meeting at the CIRDAP auditorium on Wednesday, where State Minister for Planning Dr Shamsul Alam was present as the chief guest.

Presided over by BMP President Dr Fauzia Moslem, the meeting was also addressed by Centre for Policy Dialogue (CPD) Senior Research Fellow Towfiqul Islam Khan and DBC News Senior Reporter Ishrat Jana Urmi as special guests.

SANEM Executive Director Dr Selim Raihan, BMP General Secretary Maleka Banu and Joint General Secretary Shima Moslem also spoke on the occasion.

Dr Bidisha, also the research director of SANEM, said the gender study, which evaluated the negative impact of Covid-19, gender-responsive budget and gender policy documents, finds weaknesses in addressing gender issues, as well as direct and indirect gender budget allocations for projects under different ministries.

Showing data on health, employment, etc., during the last three years, she said even the budget allocation for projects exclusively for women needs examination and evaluation to prepare a real gender-sensitive budget.

The researcher also advised reviewing typical thoughts regarding gender, highlighting the concept that gender-responsive budgeting is a targeted fiscal instrument incorporated into the growth plans of several developing countries to address gender inequality by aligning policy measures with budget allocations.

Emphasising the sharing of the gender budget study report, the state minister admitted that policy faces obstacles during implementation due to the engagement of different stakeholders.

He also stressed the need for realistic discussion and evaluation of the gender budget in civil society so that public demands are created in this connection. The state minister said 44 ministries have so far been brought under the gender budget, receiving 34 per cent of the budget.

"It is needed to examine whether the allocation really brings real progress," he added, laying importance on more research into gender-responsive budgeting.

smunima@yahoo.com