Sub-Saharan Africa: A Survey of Gender Budgeting Efforts

Abstract

Gender budgeting is an initiative to use fiscal policy and administration to address gender inequality and women's advancement. A large number of sub-Saharan African countries have adopted gender budgeting. Two countries that have achieved notable success in their efforts are Uganda and Rwanda, both of which have integrated gender-oriented goals into budget policies, programs, and processes in fundamental ways. Other countries have made more limited progress in introducing gender budgeting into their budget-making. Leadership by the ministry of finance is critical for enduring effects, although nongovernmental organizations and parliamentary bodies in sub-Saharan Africa play an essential role in advocating for gender budgeting.

An Overview of Public Sector Budget Monitoring & Evaluation Systems for Gender Equality: Lessons from Uganda and Rwanda

“…In this regard, there is a need to examine how countries in the region have developed gender sensitive budget monitoring and evaluation systems and processes to achieve socio-economic rights to health care services, education, food, social security, social services, land, housing, water and sanitation. Extant literature (Stotsky et al 2016, Budlender 2015, Muchabaiwa 2010, Kusambiza 2013 largely focuses on the steps and variant forms taken by countries in the region and the impact of budget M&E mechanisms on gender outcomes is missing and under researched. In this regard, this section examines the path traversed by a number of countries in setting up gender-sensitive budget monitoring and evaluation systems.…”

“…Findings also reveal that the enactment of necessary statutes, Budget Call Circulars, Budget Statements have been used to track budgets in relation to gender goals and outcomes. This is clearly illustrated in the Stotsky et al (2016), gendersensitive budget monitoring and evaluation in the sub-Saharan Africa region has been spearheaded by ministries of finance and those responsible for gender and development. In Uganda, gender-responsive budgeting "was formally adopted in 2004/05 when the Ministry of Finance, Planning, and Economic Development included gender budgeting in the Budget Call Circular" (Kusambiza, 2013:8).…”

“…In this regard, the Ministry of Finance and Economic Development made it mandatory for different sectors to demonstrate how they are promoting gender equality and related objectives in the Sustainable Development Goals. In addition, the budget call circular directs ministries, departments, agencies, and local government to identify targets related to gender equality and measure progress towards these goals by collecting sex disaggregated data (Stotsky et al, 2016). It can thus be said that the development of gender-sensitive budget M&E systems in Uganda has proved to be a cornerstone in improving the livelihoods of men and women, boys and girls.…”

“…Rwanda is one of the countries in the region that has played a leading role in setting up mechanisms which ensure that budgets are monitored and evaluated from a gender lens. In 2013 the country enacted an Organic Budget Law which it mandatory for the government to include Gender Budget Statements as part of the documentation submitted in the budget process meant to promote accountability (Stotsky et al 2016). The authorities saw this initiative as part of a process of public financial management reform taking place at that time to move Rwanda's budget from an "accounting exercise" to program budgeting.…”

“…In Mali, the Ministry of Economy and Finance has also ensured that budget call circulars provide clear instructions for sectors to engage in gender sensitive monitoring and evaluation. Stotsky et al, (2016) assert "…each department is asked to analyse the National Gender Policy action plan and make their own plans to reduce gender gaps; to generate gender-sensitive indicators; to allocate resources to these actions; and to produce a report to be consolidated in an Annex of the Finance Law." Since 2011, a budget annex on gender has been drafted and attached to the finance law.…”