Suburban
Peter Tanyanyiwa Suburban Reporter
A TWO-day gender responsive budgeting in local government summit is currently underway in Harare to help local authorities with gender budgeting.
Leading Southern Africa women’s rights organisation Gender Links, through their Zimbabwean chapter, are hosting the two-day meeting at Cresta Lodge in Msasa, Harare.
The summit which started on Monday is being convened under the theme “gender responsive budgeting in local authorities”.
Gender Links Zimbabwe in partnership with the Ministry of Local Government and Public Works has developed a gender responsive budgeting tool to assist local authorities in gender budgeting.
The organisation launched the tool on Monday and says the summit will also affirm best practices in gender mainstreaming and gender budgeting in all the 92 local authorities in Zimbabwe.
The summit is being held in the backdrop of this year’s 16 days of activism against gender-based violence, a global campaign to fight violence against women and children.
Some councils are already implementing gender responsive budgeting. The City of Harare announced its 2023 budget two weeks ago which it said was aimed at responding to various gender related issues in the city.
Presenting the budget, Finance and Economic Development Committee chairperson Councillor Costa Mande said council was taking measures to address gender equality issues in the city.
“Your Worship, gender equality is a topical subject and as a city we are committed to ensuring that we provide gender responsive service delivery.
“To address gender equality concerns Council adopted, a two-pronged approach consisting of the administrative and budgetary measures for implementation.
He said the administrative measures include among others, capacitation of the gender desk, appointment of a gender focal person in every Department of the City, formulation and implementation of gender sensitive policies and laws.
“Whilst the budgetary approach involves gender mainstreaming through the budgetary process, this include prioritising gender responsive service delivery.
“Your Worship, this is the reason why the 2023 budget is skewed towards Water, Sanitation and Hygiene sector,” said Cllr Mande.
