Why in news
Delhi's gender budget grew seven-fold from ₹10 billion in 2011-12 to ₹71 billion in 2024-25, highlighting increased focus on women’s welfare.
Funding for women’s education decreased in recent years, dropping from ₹24 billion in 2017-18 to ₹18 billion in 2024-25, which is concerning given its importance for economic empowerment.
What is gender budget
Gender budgeting is a strategic tool used by governments to ensure the efficient collection and allocation of public resources according to the diverse needs and priorities of different genders.
Gender budgeting does not involve creating a separate budget exclusively for women but focuses on addressing women's specific needs through existing budgetary frameworks.
Background:
India ratified the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination Against Women (CEDAW) (1979) in 1993, signalling its commitment to gender equality.
This commitment led to the introduction of the first Gender Budget Statement in the Indian Budget of 2005-2006.
Since then, the government has consistently released the Gender Budget Statement alongside the Union Budget.
The Ministry of Women and Child Development (MWCD) acts as the central nodal agency for gender budgeting, and the Ministry of Finance has mandated the establishment of Gender Budget Cells in all central ministries and departments to support this process.
Gender budgeting falls under the Samarthya sub-scheme of Mission Shakti, an initiative by the MWCD aimed at empowering women.
Framework for Gender Budgeting: It involves five steps such as:
Situation Analysis: Assess the status of different gender groups in a sector.
Policy Assessment: Evaluate if policies address identified gender issues.
Budget Evaluation: Check if budget allocations are adequate for gender-sensitive measures.
Expenditure Monitoring: Verify if funds were used as intended and assess results.
Impact Assessment: Measure the impact of policies on the conditions initially analysed.
Significance:
Optimises Resource Allocation: Directs funds to areas where gender gaps are significant, addressing critical needs.
Aligns with Sustainable Development Goal 5, contributing to global efforts for gender equality.
Enhances Accountability: Provides transparency in fund allocation and usage, ensuring commitments to gender equality are met.
Integrates gender perspectives into public financial management, leading to more inclusive and effective governance.
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