A COALITION of 20 organisations known as the Gender Budget Group (GBG) noted how the recently announced Budget 2022 should have placed more emphasis on providing a more gender-focused response to ensure that gender equality considerations are taken into account in tax and spending decisions.
Despite the Government presenting its largest national budget to date with an allocation of RM332.1 bil, the GBG voiced its concern regarding the lack of gender focused policies and sufficient gender analysis across various sectors and ministries, as there is still a need for gender-disaggregated data in determining allocations that would benefit women, children and other vulnerable groups in Malaysia.
“While we appreciate the Government’s efforts in addressing certain areas affecting women through allocations for single mothers, childcare, women re-entering the workforce as well as gender-based violence, it must be noted that these issues fall under limited purview of selected ministries – primarily the Ministry of Women, Community and Family Development,” the coalition pointed out in a statement.
For example, GBG pointed out that the targeted policies for the industrial sectors and supply chains in the fishing, agriculture and manufacturing industries failed to account for the women in their labour force.
There was also little to no gender focus in budgetary measures under education (the largest budget of all ministries), sports and mental healthcare nor in improving economic opportunities impacting women in binational families, minimising the lived realities and needs of women, girls and vulnerable groups.
“This is disappointing as it was a good opportunity to address deep-rooted inequalities that affect the wellbeing of women and their families and could positively impact their participation in the economy,” it added.
Furthermore, the coalition noted that there was very little information on the implementation and impact of allocations made previously in Budget 2021. This lack of transparency in a time of urgent economic recovery is concerning.
“We also hope the Government will improve its surface-level understanding of gender inequality which was apparent in the visuals and language used throughout the speech.
“The use of stereotyped images of women and references to childcare primarily being the mother’s responsibility is a clear sign of the need for gender sensitivity and that budgetary implications on women are not regarded seriously.
“Promises made in Budget 2022 must be viewed in a gender lens, scrutinised and monitored in a transparent manner and must show accountability to the public. Only then, can we be certain that gender equality is truly on the agenda of Malaysia’s fiscal policy,” it concluded. – Oct 31, 2021
