By John Nhandara
GENDER responsive budgeting in local Authorities hogged the limelight at a local government summit which was attended by all 92 local Authorities in Harare this Monday.
Urban and rural district councils met in Harare this Monday to reflect on how local authorities have implemented gender-responsive budgeting that promotes gender mainstreaming.
“We were analysing how Council are adhering to gender equality in their different spheres,” said Guy Mutasa, Zimbabwe Local Government Association president.
“What the ministry wants is that all our budgets show that we are catering for all genders as well as policies that respond to gender equity,” said Loud Ramakaboka Beitbridge Municipality’s Town Clerk.
The thrust of gender-responsive budgeting resonates with the government’s implementation of gender provisions enshrined in the SADC protocol on gender and development.
“We would want to see gender being integral in the process of budgeting what percentage of their budgets are they allocating to gender programmes in line with governments gender policy,” said Collen Lowe Morna, Gender Links special advisor.
The summit came at a time the nation is set to commemorate 16 days of activism against gender-based violence from this Friday.
