Gender budget and indicators

1. Introduction to Gender Budgeting

1. Gender budgeting is a tool to promote gender equality by integrating a gender perspective into fiscal policies and resource allocation.
2. Aims to address the socio-economic disparities faced by women and other genders.
3. Focuses on assessing the impact of government expenditure and revenue policies on gender equality.
4. Encourages the creation of gender-sensitive policies to empower women economically, socially, and politically.

2. Key Features of Gender Budgeting

1. Analyzes the allocation of public funds for gender-specific programs.
2. Includes expenditure tracking to evaluate the impact of programs on women and marginalized genders.
3. Focuses on addressing issues such as education, health, employment, and violence against women.
4. Encourages transparency and accountability in fiscal policy implementation.
5. Involves collaboration between various ministries, NGOs, and stakeholders.

3. Gender Budget in India

1. Introduced in 2005-06 by the Government of India.
2. The Ministry of Women and Child Development (MWCD) plays a crucial role in gender budgeting.
3. Gender Budgeting Statement (GBS) is part of the Union Budget, classified into two categories:
   • Part A: Schemes with 100% allocation for women.
   • Part B: Schemes where at least 30% of allocation benefits women.
4. Examples of gender-focused schemes include Beti Bachao Beti Padhao, Mahila Shakti Kendra, and Pradhan Mantri Matru Vandana Yojana.

4. Gender Indicators

1. Gender indicators are statistical tools used to measure progress in gender equality.
2. Key indicators include:
   • Gender Development Index (GDI): Measures disparities in human development achievements between men and women.
   • Gender Empowerment Measure (GEM): Focuses on women's participation in economic and political decision-making.
   • Sex Ratio: Number of females per 1,000 males.
   • Female Labor Force Participation Rate: Measures women's contribution to the workforce.
   • Maternal Mortality Rate (MMR): Indicates the health status of women during childbirth.
3. Indicators help policymakers identify gender gaps and develop targeted interventions.

5. Benefits of Gender Budgeting

1. Promotes inclusive growth by addressing gender-specific needs.
2. Improves women's access to public services and resources.
3. Strengthens the policy framework for gender equality and women empowerment.
4. Reduces gender disparities in health, education, and employment.
5. Fosters economic development by enhancing women's participation in the workforce.

6. Challenges in Gender Budgeting

1. Lack of awareness and understanding of gender budgeting among policymakers.
2. Inadequate data collection on gender-disaggregated statistics.
3. Limited resources allocated to gender-focused programs.
4. Weak implementation and monitoring mechanisms.
5. Social and cultural barriers that hinder women’s access to resources and opportunities.

7. Way Forward

1. Strengthen capacity-building programs for policymakers on gender budgeting.
2. Improve data collection systems to track gender-specific outcomes.
3. Increase funding for gender-sensitive programs and schemes.
4. Promote community participation to ensure effective implementation of policies.
5. Enhance monitoring and evaluation mechanisms to measure progress and address challenges.