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Gibson Mhaka
MAKING progress towards gender equality, as set out in the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), requires systematic and innovative approaches.
One such approach is Gender-Responsive Budgeting (GRB), which is a fiscal planning and allocation process that ensures government budgets address and mitigate gender-based disparities and promote gender equality and women’s empowerment.
Successful implementation of GRB frameworks requires a co-ordinated approach by several public institutions, in particular those that lead on fiscal policy development, administration and other aspects of public financial management.
Therefore, these institutions must be equipped to deliver gender equality both internally and externally, which calls for an institutional transformation guided by the principles of inclusive and gender-responsive governance.
In a move aimed at empowering all 92 local authorities in the country to develop and implement gender-sensitive policies and programmes, ultimately leading to more equitable and responsive service delivery, Gender Links Zimbabwe (GLZ), partnered with the Ministry of Local Government and Public Works and Diakonia through support from the Embassy of Sweden in Zimbabwe.
As a result of the joint initiative, the Ministry of Local Government and Public Works gave a policy directive mandating all council budgets to be gender-sensitive as a condition for approval.
Local authorities across the country are now making significant strides in gender equality through the adoption of the “Hub and Spoke” gender main-streaming model, which supports the implementation of inclusive budgeting and programmes.
The programme resulted from research by Gender Links in partnership with the Ministry of Local Government and Public Works, which identified gender gaps in local authorities that, needed to be addressed.
Speaking on the side-lines of a media training workshop on Women’s Political Participation (WPP) and Gender Responsive Budgeting (GRB) held in Harare recently, Gender Links regional director, Priscilla Maposa highlighted that local authorities have seen significant improvement in gender-responsive service delivery through the adoption of the “Hub and Spoke” programme.
She said the local authorities were now allocating specific budget lines for gender-responsive initiatives, adding that this shift signifies a crucial step towards achieving gender equality within local governance.
“Gender Links in partnership with the Ministry of Local Government and Public Works has been implementing a gender main-streaming programme in all the 92 local authorities in Zimbabwe since 2010.
“The programme, dubbed the Centres of Excellence Programme, has evolved to the Hub and Spoke Programme where gender hubs were established across the 10 provinces. These hubs support and collaborate with local authorities in their respective provinces, fostering the implementation of gender-inclusive budgeting and programmes. The programme has recorded a number of achievements over the years. Gaps were identified in how local authorities were conducting gender-responsible budgeting,” she said.
However, Maposa explained that after successfully cascading the Hub and Spoke programme to all 92 local authorities in 2018, Gender Links took a break to strategise on the most effective way to move forward with gender main-streaming efforts.
“An evaluation that was done in 2017 revealed a three-tier performance level among local authorities regarding gender issues.
“Some performed well, others averaged and a group fell below average. In response, Gender Links developed the Hub and Spoke model for gender mainstreaming. This model established gender hubs across all 10 provinces. We even gave it a local name, the Dura or Isiphala programme.
“These hubs, composed of the best-performing local authorities in each province, now provide mentorship and support to other councils within their respective provinces.
“There are a total of 18 Hub councils. It’s important to note that Harare and Bulawayo, being metropolitan cities, don’t participate in the same way due to their unique structures,” said Maposa.
Maposa went on to say that since the programme’s inception, local authorities have displayed a significant increase in competition and enthusiasm for becoming Hubs.
“We have also witnessed a strong sense of ownership for the gender main-streaming programme. Local authorities are taking the initiative by developing innovative approaches and requesting provincial meetings on their own accord.
“During these meetings, they sometimes invite Gender Links for support, but they often lead the discussions themselves, fostering peer-to-peer learning on how to best promote gender equality at the local level,” she said.
Online Reporter