(Commonwealth_India) At the UN Ministerial Conference on Women Empowerment, a new report highlighted the struggles of India and other Asia-Pacific countries in implementing Gender Responsive Budgeting (GRB), noting significant challenges in its effectiveness. The report, titled Charting New Paths for Gender Equality and Empowerment: Asia-Pacific Regional Report on Beijing + 30 Review, examined how countries in the region have fared with the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) adopted at the Beijing Conference 30 years ago. While the report acknowledges that India, along with other countries in the region, has demonstrated a strong commitment to ensuring gender equality through the adoption of GRB, it points out several critical shortcomings that hinder its success.
One of the main issues identified in the report is India’s struggle with the limited effectiveness of its GRB. The lack of comprehensive sex-disaggregated data and the exclusion of key programs designed to benefit women are largely to blame for this. Understanding the specific needs of women and girls and efficiently allocating resources to address those needs requires the use of such data. The government cannot accurately evaluate its gender-focused programs or determine if they are reaching the most vulnerable women without this data.
The report suggests that to overcome these challenges, the Indian government needs to make concerted efforts to improve the design and application of its Gender Budget Statement. The report suggests enhancing sectoral monitoring mechanisms to effectively integrate gender considerations into budgeting processes. Furthermore, it advises that the Ministry of Women and Child Development, along with the Ministry of Finance, should work together to address existing gaps and strengthen the use of GRB more strategically.
The report also advocates for integrating GRB considerations during the budget prioritization phase. The government can allocate resources more efficiently to programs that benefit women and girls by involving gender perspectives early in the budgeting process. Additionally, the report highlights the importance of encouraging subnational governments, such as state and local administrations, to adopt GRB practices. This is particularly crucial, as it can help bring attention to the specific needs of vulnerable women in different regions and ensure their participation in planning and budgeting decisions. The ultimate goal is to include and hear the voices of the most marginalized women, such as those in rural areas or disadvantaged communities, in the budgeting process.
At the conference, the Indian government reported that it had made significant progress in gender budgeting over the last decade, with a 218 percent increase during this period. This demonstrates India’s growing commitment to advancing gender equality through financial allocation. However, the report underscores that despite the progress, there remains significant work to ensure the effective implementation of GRB across all government sectors.
The report also acknowledged the importance of integrating a gender perspective into public financial management in the Philippines. Like India, the Philippines has faced obstacles in implementing GRB, such as uneven capacities among Gender and Development (GAD) focal points, difficulties in tracking expenditures, and underutilization of the Gender and Development budget by key agencies and local leaders. The report suggests that the Philippines should continue to build the capacity of these focal points and government officials while also identifying and nurturing champions of gender equality within the government to ensure sustained progress in GRB implementation.
In conclusion, while the adoption of Gender Responsive Budgeting in India and other Asia-Pacific countries demonstrates a commitment to gender equality and the empowerment of women, the report highlights the need for stronger mechanisms, improved data collection, and greater involvement of vulnerable women in the budgeting process. By addressing these challenges, these countries can better meet the goals of gender equality outlined in the Beijing Declaration and the SDGs, ensuring that women and girls benefit from the resources allocated to their empowerment.
