Female MPs seek gender inclusion in district budgets

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MP Rosemary Nyakikongoro (R) consults fellow legislators, NamukwayaBugembe (C) and Evelyn Kabule (L) recently. Women legislators have asked government to allocate more resources to the districts to finance gender activities as a way of checking gender inequalities. PHOTO BY GEOFFREY SSERUYANGE , Daily Monitor

Women legislators under their umbrella association, the Uganda Women Parliamentary Association (UWOPA), and the Forum for Women in Democracy (FOWODE), have appealed to government to allocate more resources to districts to finance women activities as a way of checking gender inequalities.

The legislators, during a tour of Lyantonde District, supported by FOWODE in August 2012,  to ascertain how gender mainstreaming activities are being financed at the district and municipality, noted that since the districts cannot generate enough revenue, government should allocate more resources to ensure that gender activities are prioritised.


SUMMARY:THE APPEAL: Women legislators have recommended an increase in the budget allocation by government to finance gender 

“Since most districts cannot raise enough locally generated funds, government should send adequate resources to fund activities for women, youth and children. The money being sent to districts is conditional and the Ministry of Gender budget is also limited,” said Ms Rosemary Nyakikongoro (Woman, Sheema), also UWOPA vice chairperson.

The legislators noted that due to inadequate funding, the districts do not prioritise funding women, youth and children activities.

“There is also need for capacity building for technical people because they must also be in a position to utilise the little resources that they have to plan for gender activities,” Ms. Nyakikongoro added.

Kyenjojo District Woman MP Flavia Rwabuhoro Kabahenda said there must be inclusiveness and effective participation of women in every development agenda.

FOWODE’s Program Officer for Gender Budgeting, Esther Nabwire said they are working hard to ensure that women, youth and children, who are the less privileged, get better education and access health facilities.

The municipality leadership noted that whereas budgets have been drawn to cater for women, youth and children, there is limited funding to implement their activities.

“There is also need for capacity building for technical people because they must also be in a position to utilise the little resources that they have to plan for gender activities,” Ms. Nyakikongoro added.

Ms. Grace Namara, the area MP, said government must create a special budget line to finance gender activities to empower the women and improve on their house hold incomes.
Lyantonde Town clerk Martin Ssentongo admitted that gender activities were not being prioritised due to the limited budget.

“We have to maintain roads and collect garbage so by the time we think about gender, the money is over,” Mr. Ssentongo said.

The outgoing RDC, Ms. Ida Bikorwenda, said women’s representation in leadership positions at the district has remained at a small percentage as women were not being trained to be on an equal footing with men.

“We are having a few women in leadership and when it comes to budgeting, they do not have the numbers to negotiate for a decent budget,” Ms. Bikorwenda said.

 mnalugo@ug.nationmedia.com
 FOWODE NEWSLETTER

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