Zimbabwe: 'Increase Budgetary Allocation Towards Gender Programmes'

December 11, 2007 – (AllAfrica) A parliamentary committee has urged the Government to increase its budgetary allocation towards gender mainstreaming programmes.

The measure would help to implement the Domestic Violence Act and to enable the development of other gender programmes. The Portfolio Committee on Youth, Gender and Women's Affairs, told Parliament that the 2008 budget allocated to the Ministry of Women's Affairs, Gender and Community Development's gender programmes was too low.

"It is very disturbing to note that the budget allocation for the Ministry of Women's Affairs does not have a substantial allocation for the implementation of the Domestic Violence Act that was passed by Parliament," read the report. The ministry received a total budget allocation of $800 billion against a request of $22, 8 trillion.

The funds were supposed to cater for among others, gender mainstreaming, gender budgeting, girl child empowerment, promotion of legal literacy, provision of affordable sanitary ware to women and ensuring that women took up leadership roles in politics and decision-making.

"By providing only four percent of the ministry's total requirement for the sub item, what then is the Government saying in regard to the critical issues affecting women in the country," read the report. The ministry, according to the report, had been earmarked for 2008 as one of the ministries that would alleviate poverty in the country in line with the thrust of the "people's budget".

The ministry had submitted bids on the basis of the programmes that were planned for next year. It submitted a total budget bid of $263, 1 trillion and was allocated $38, 6 trillion that was 14 percent of the bid.

"The committee questions the sincerity of Government in this respect in supporting community-based ministries such as the Ministry of Women's Affairs," read the report. The committee bemoaned that the Ministry of Finance had done a lot of injustice in the area of acquisition of fixed assets.

"Since the inception of the ministry, no reasonable funds have been allocated to the ministry for the purchase of fixed assets and the $500 billion allocated for furniture and equipment against a bid of $42,4 trillion is far too inadequate to cater for the requirements of the ministry."

The committee further noted that no funds were allocated for the purchase of vehicles whereas the ministry only had six vehicles, four of which were hired from the Central Mechanical Department.

Although the provincial offices had benefited from the vehicles received from the Reserve Bank of Zimbabwe last year, these were reportedly inadequate for the requirements of a ministry that catered for the community at the grassroots level.

 

From:http://allafrica.com/stories/200712110079.html