Gambian Cabinet receives training in Gender Responsive Budgeting

Some 60 high level Gambian officials including Ministers, Regional Governors, Legislators, Permanent Secretaries and other top public servants attended a three- day training workshop on Gender Responsive Budgeting from 4 to 6 May in Gambia’s capital city, Banjul.

The capacity-building workshop was organised by the Commonwealth Secretariat’s Gender Section as part of the Secretariat’s support towards promoting Gender and economic empowerment in member countries.

Gender Responsive Budgeting involves examining the outcomes of budgetary allocations and how they affect the economic and social opportunities of women and men.

In his welcoming remarks, Deputy Secretary-General Ransford Smith said: “Gender Responsive Budget Initiatives have a significant added value in enhancing women’s economic empowerment and to assure accountability and promote people-centred economic governance.” This is particularly significant in the context of recovery and growth following the economic crisis.

He added that the goal was to ensure that gender equality and women’s empowerment issues are fully incorporated into national development processes, priorities and budgets, recognising their potential to catalyse economic growth.

Mr Smith also congratulated the Gambian Parliament on passing the ‘2010 Women’s Bill’ which incorporated the Convention on all forms of Discrimination Against Women and the Protocol to the African Charter on Human and Peoples Rights on the Rights of Women in Africa.

“This is an important step in achieving gender equality in all aspects of life,” he said.

The workshop took place ahead of next month’s Commonwealth Women’s Affairs Ministers Meeting , which will focus on the impact of the global economic crisis on women and how new funding mechanisms can support equitable growth.

Key Links:

• Gender
• Country Profile: The Gambia