Zimbabwe Coalition on Debt and Development (ZIMCODD) has expressed concern over the continued disregard of women as key economic drivers in the latest pre-budget Strategy paper launched last week which it accuses of failing to identify and promote areas for their participation.
The country’s economic make up is not corrective of gender imbalance leading to most women struggling to penetrate.
Speaking at a Portfolio Committee meeting on Budget, Finance, and Economic Development held today on the 2021 Pre-Budget Strategy, ZIMCODD executive director Janet Zhou-Mago said the budget must be inclusive of everyone.
“The Budget Strategy Paper is silent on the development needs of women as well as effective women participation in the economy. The budget must be for the people and their social-economic development, ” Zhou said.
“It is worrying to note that the Budget Strategy Paper mentions women in only nine times as if to ignore feminization of poverty, and lack of access to finance and wealth inequalities that are experienced by women and girls. The strategy paper should do more for women and girls,” said Zhou.
Statistics show that government has been allocating a small portion of the budget towards women empowerment programs since 2016.
In 2019, Government allocated just around US$ 300 million towards women and youths out of the US$ 8.16 billion.
Minister of Finance and Economic Development, Mthuli Ncube unveiled the pre-Budget Strategy Paper last week, a tool will guide the 2021 National Budget expected to be announced next month.
