Public institutions urged to implement GRB

The Ministry of Finance and Economic Planning, has called on public institutions to work towards addressing the gender disaggregated data if they are to make Gender Responsive Budgeting (GRB) more effective. GRB is a Ministry of Finance project charged to ensure government expenditure addresses the needs of women and men equitably and to encourage government institutions uphold accountability and transparency. Speaking to The New Times at a workshop organized by the United Nations Development Fund for Women, the Director General of National Development Planning and Research, Leonard Rugwabiza Minega said that “The lack of gender disaggregated data collection and monitoring system at national level is still a major challenge for GRB to be more effective”. He added that planning and budgeting officers, especially at the district level, need more sensitisation on GRB. Rugwabiza said that the ministry will, in this fiscal year, boost GRB in education, infrastructure, agriculture and health as pilot sectors. “The gender programme should not be taken as a social programme only, it is also economic, and these four pilot sectors will be changing the people’s mindset on gender,” said Rugwabiza. All budget agencies in public institutions will be mandated to mainstream gender for the coming financial year.The project has been implemented in 30 countries in Africa and is funded by UNIFEM. The workshop was aimed at reviewing the achievements and challenges registered during the implementation of programme. Ends