Theme

By Sarojini Ganju Thakur, Acting Head of Gender Section, Social Transformation Programmes Division, Commonwealth Secretariat

In 2007, mid-way to the Millennium Development Goals (MDG) target year of 2015, it is clear that the goals most off track are those most dependent upon the social status of women and girls – maternal and child health, HIV/AIDS, and gender equality in education.

While goal three directly refers to gender equality and women’s empowerment. However, there are five other goals related to poverty reduction, education, maternal and infant mortality, and combating disease which cannot be achieved without ensuring gender equality.

Gender equality is also a human rights issue, and has intrinsic value in the context of social justice. This is the background to ‘Financing Gender Equality for Development and Democracy’ being chosen as the theme for the 8^th Women’s Affairs Ministers Meeting (8WAMM).

8WAMM provides Commonwealth countries an opportunity to focus on the critical subject of financing gender equality and to further influence the outcomes of the Commonwealth Finance Ministers Meeting and the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting later in the year.

There is compelling evidence to indicate that gender equality can lead to poverty reduction. Numerous studies highlight the links between investments in education and health, and economic growth and improved well-being.

While there exists a “feminisation of poverty”, it is equally true that countries with high levels of poverty suffer from a high degree of conflict. Gender equality is, therefore, critical to achieving peace and security.

The Beijing Platform for Action and the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women outline the roadmap for the pursuit of gender equality and women’s empowerment. Gender mainstreaming is a means to this end.

All Commonwealth countries have made commitments to achieving gender equality and women’s rights contained in the Commonwealth Gender Plan of Action 2005-2015 and the global agreements and treaties it encompasses. Most also have National Policies for Women and Plans of Action. However, state budgets and overall development plans have not reflected these same priorities and inadequate resource allocation has meant that these plans have not always been implemented.

The Secretariat report on Gender Responsive Budgets in the Commonwealth: Progress and Challenges painted a mixed picture when it was presented to the Commonwealth Finance Ministers Meeting in 2005. On the positive, some good practice and progress in gender responsive budgets (GRBs) was identified in Commonwealth countries such as India, Tanzania and Uganda. However, of 53 countries in the Commonwealth, only 30 reported any progress in GRBs. And for the majority, progress was extremely slow.

In 2005, Commonwealth Finance Ministers committed to reporting biennially on progress made in Gender Responsive Budgets. The Secretariat is compiling a report to be presented at the 2007 Finance Ministers Meeting in Guyana.

Financing gender equality derives even greater significance in the current aid context. Aid commitments and debt relief have been scaled up since 2005 and are set to increase, as is the focus contained in the Paris Declaration of Aid Effectiveness, on improving the processes and quality of aid.

The challenge in the context of the new aid modalities – joint assistance strategies, direct budgetary support, sector-wise approaches, poverty reduction strategy papers - is to ensure that adequate resources are allocated for gender equality.

We are confident 8WAMM will make a difference.