Govt cuts funding to Ministry of Gender
The 2019 budgetary allocation for the Ministry of Gender has reduced from K64,117,950 in 2018 to K29,910,403 due to government’s policy of ensuring fiscal consolidation through austerity measures and the non-inclusion of donor funds that were not confirmed at the time budget estimates were being prepared.
And Minister of Gender Honourable Elizabeth Phiri says the Ministry’s programmes will be aligned to ensuring optimal utilisation of the available resources.
Phiri said this today when she presented the 2019 budget policy statement on expenditure in Parliament.
She says the Ministry will continue coordinating programmes aimed at ensuring gender equality is attained and the rights of both women and girls, men and boys are protected.
Phiri told Parliament that during the period under review, the Ministry implemented various gender mainstreaming and empowerment interventions which culminated in the distribution of 71 tractors, 94 tillers and 20 combined harvesters to more than 800 women cooperatives in 120 chiefdoms countrywide.
She says the distribution exercise is an integral empowerment programme being implemented under the Agricultural Development Value Chain Enhancement (ADVANCE) project aimed at supporting women farmers.
Phiri says her Ministry is also coordinating the implementation of the Girls Education and Women Empowerment and Livelihoods (GEWEL) project which aims to empower 75,000 women through mentorship based productivity grants in 51 districts by 2020.
The Minister said so far about 12,000 women in 11 districts out of 51 have benefited from phase one of the project.
She says through the GEWEL project, more than 15,000 girls from vulnerable households have also been supported with Secondary School Fees in 16 districts.
Phiri has revealed that in 2019, the Ministry will continue to develop and promote economic empowerment programmes by building coalitions with private sector and NGOs so as to increase women`s access to affordable financial products and services.
She says the Ministry will next year enhance its ability in lobbying the Ministry in charge of land in ensuring that women are given equal and more opportunities to land ownership.