9th August 2023
On Zoom
The online masterclass titled "Analysing Budgets from a Gender Lens" was organised by Population First on August 9, 2023. The event aimed to shed light on the importance of examining budgets with a gender-focused approach, given the usual emphasis on economic aspects during budget discussions and the limited representation of women in such deliberations.
In her opening address, Dr Sharada highlighted the significance of understanding budgets through a gender lens, particularly for media professionals. She pointed out that budget releases often prioritise economic development, neglecting social developmental aspects. Moreover, the panels discussing budget allocations are predominantly men, resulting in the term "man-els" to describe such male-dominated boards. This underrepresentation of women's perspectives and experiences in budget discussions was stressed as a crucial point during the workshop.
Prof. Vibhuti Patel, a prominent Gender Economist and Women's Rights Activist, boasts an illustrious career spanning decades. Her expertise encompasses Gender Economics, Women's Studies, Human Rights, and Gender Budgeting. Notable roles include Vice President of the Indian Association for Women’s Studies and professorships at the Tata Institute of Social Sciences and SNDT Women’s University. Her extensive publications, committee involvements, and international engagements reflect her commitment to gender-sensitive perspectives in economics and development. Prof. Patel's advocacy for intersectionality and gender equality has made a significant impact, influencing policy and fostering social change on a global scale.
The masterclass explored women's journey from the 74th Amendment era to the present, highlighting their shift from male-dominated societal norms. It discusses past challenges in financial management due to gender disparities, leading to cooperative lifestyles today. While women are less marginalised, empowerment still needs to be completed. The masterclass emphasises the need for capacity building in gender-sensitive budgeting to promote equality. It addresses gender-responsive budgeting's role in raising awareness about policy impacts on men and women, advocating for budgetary commitments that foster gender equality, and holding governments accountable for such obligations. She spoke about strategies for Effective Gender Responsive Budgeting and Increasing budgetary allocations for women-centred initiatives by enhancing the quality of resources to provide gender training to public servants, ensuring effective fund utilisation, and altering policy outcomes to reflect gender sensitivity in the public domain. She emphasised having a Gender Responsive Budgeting.
The foundation for GRB can be traced back to policy documents and development plans, such as the Towards Equality Report (1974), the Sixth Five Year Plan emphasising Women and development, and the Shram Shakti Report (1988). These documents underscored the need for gender-sensitive approaches in action. GRB aims to bridge gender gaps in critical areas such as economic participation, opportunity, political empowerment, education, and health. It confronts historical neglect, institutionalised hegemony, and the gap between formal and substantive equality. It primarily benefits marginalised groups like Dalit, tribal, disabled, Muslim, and HIV-positive women.
Prof Vibhuti Patel discussed the primary purpose of GRB exercises is to assess the alignment of budgetary intentions with actual policies. By scrutinising budgets, GRB contributes to promoting gender equality and increasing transparency. Empowered with budget knowledge, women can engage with policymakers to drive changes that cater to their needs and choices. GRB's integration into India's Five Year Plans exemplifies its evolution, transitioning from welfare-oriented plans to empowerment-driven ones. The integration of Women Component Plans (WCP) and GRB in successive plans underlines a shift towards gender-sensitive budgeting.
According to Prof. Vibhuti Patel, Gender Responsive Budgeting remains vital in the global pursuit of gender equality and women's empowerment. It should be implemented with diverse strategies in numerous countries, each addressing its unique challenges. Successful GRB implementation requires strong collaboration between governments, civil society, and international bodies, positioning it as a cornerstone of gender-sensitive policy and budgeting on a global scale. At the grassroots level, Political and financial decentralisation play critical roles in effective GRB. The need for training, capacity-building workshops, and thorough analysis of budgets from the gender perspective is crucial to achieving GRB's objectives. GRB faces challenges such as unresolved budget issues, underpayment of women workers, and insufficient support for marginalised groups. Gender economists advocate for greater transparency, including gender perspectives in pre-budget workshops and a proactive role for National and State Commissions for Women.
Youtube Link: https://youtu.be/nDfBc0HmVPw?feature=shared