Publication date: Monday, 29th June, 2009
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By Rebecca Harshbarger
The 2009/10 budget affects every Ugandan, but impacts on various groups differently. The budget’s emphasis education, health and energy will have a unique impact on women and girls. Due to poverty, women often rely more on public services than men, according to the Forum for Women in Democracy (FOWODE).
Some women rejoiced when they heard what the budget would prioritise, while others felt a lot more could have been done.
Dr. May Sengendo, a professor of women and gender studies at Makerere University, says: “The budget was gender-responsive in the selection of its sectors.”
But some women are unhappy. “The budget had no provision for women,” says Helen Musoke, an accountant.
“We were not considered. I would have liked to be more empowered, or received some sort of leniency, since the problems facing us are escalating. They should have at least cut taxes on home basics, such as sugar and soap, rather than beer,” Musoke adds.
How will the girl-child benefit?
This year, the education sector saw an increase in funding from sh899b to sh1 trillion. Whereas before, emphasis was on getting as many children as possible into the classroom, today more attention will focus on quality education.
“From a gender perspective, the quality of schooling is key, especially in terms of infrastructure and reading materials,” says Segendo. “It is key to the needs of girls.”
According to the education ministry, female students will benefit from the construction of pit latrines, since many miss class during menstruating due to a shortage of facilities. At least sh19b has been allocated to the construction of five-stance latrines.
Godfrey Dhatemwa, the commissioner of education planning, applauds the increase in education funding and believes the girl-child will benefit from the sanitation and classroom construction.
“There is a belief that if you educate a girl, you educate a mother and if you educate a mother, you will have educated the whole nation,” says Dhatemwa.
But FOWODE fears girls might miss out on the money allocated to expanding secondary education. The NGO advises that some of the money should be used to retain female students, recruit gender-sensitive teachers and provide career guidance for girls in secondary school.
FOWODE has called upon the education minister to issue a statutory standing order to primary and secondary head teachers to buy emergency sanitary pads for girls.
Agriculture, electricity and water
The Government has promised to spend sh36b on farmers’ inputs and is creating a sh30b agricultural credit facility.
FOWODE is concerned that poor female subsistence farmers will not access a fair share of the farm inputs, despite contributing more than 70% to agricultural labour.
The NGO is calling for affirmative action in accessing credit and inputs in the agricultural sector. The budget will expand the Rural Electrification Programme by sh5b, in addition to its current sh2b budget.
According to the Department of Women and Gender Studies at Makerere, supporting women to access energy will save time reduce labour and dependence on charcoal as well as firewood.
Since women bear the burden of fetching water for their households, they will benefit from the Government’s plan to expand water facilities.
The Government plans to provide boreholes, rainwater harvesting units and protected springs to 880,000 people in rural areas. New facilities for urban dwellers and small towns will also be constructed.
Water scarcity increases domestic violence in homes, according to Parliament Deputy Speaker Rebecca Kadaga. She says some men accuse their wives of infidelity when they travel long distances to get water.
Tax slash on beer
The reduction of tax on local beer is meant to encourage value-addition and barley growing in districts like Kapchorwa and Kabarole.
Excise tax has reduced from 60% to 40%. However, some women advocates are concerned that the move might encourage men to drink more, leading to a potential increase in domestic violence and breakdown of the family unit.
“The budget is good, but I have an issue with the reduction of the beer tax,” says Nassuna. “It encourages people to drink more, which impacts negatively on women. As a result, domestic violence is likely to increase.”
The approved budget for the Ministry of Labour, Gender and Social Development was only sh28.27b. Almost 41% will be used to pay salaries of ministry staff and rent. The few resources left cannot adequately tackle the sector’s other priorities, such as mainstreaming gender in Uganda, mobilising communities for social goals and offering protection to marginalised communities.
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