Young Women's Group Seeks Gender-responsive Budget Monitoring

IPOH, Oct 16 (Bernama) -- The Perantis Wanita Muda Secretariat has proposed that at least one per cent of federal government expenditure in 2027 be identified, mapped and monitored through a gender-responsive budgeting approach.

The proposal was among recommendations outlined in the memorandum submitted to the Women, Family and Community Development Ministry (KPWKM) today.

Secretariat coordinator Tina Tajuddin handed the memorandum to Perak Women’s Development director S. Kavaramma, who represented the ministry, at her office in the Urban Transformation Centre (UTC) here.

Tina said the recommendations were aligned with the four pillars of the National Women’s Policy 2025-2030, namely economy, leadership, safety and well-being, to promote more inclusive and effective development for women.

“One of our key recommendations is for at least one per cent of federal government expenditure in 2027 to be identified, mapped and monitored through gender-responsive budgeting.

“This is not a request for new or additional funding. Instead, it focuses on tracking, coordination, transparency and evaluating how effectively existing allocations address women’s needs,” she told reporters after the handover.

Tina said the needs of young women should receive greater attention in national budget planning, stressing that gender-responsive budgeting went beyond the distribution of funds.

“It is important to ensure that government policies, programmes and initiatives take into account the different needs, opportunities and challenges faced by women,” she said.

She expressed hope that the ministry would consider the memorandum to strengthen gender-responsive budgeting, improve the use of existing allocations and ensure more equitable development outcomes.

Meanwhile, Kavaramma said the memorandum would be forwarded to the ministry for further action and expressed hope that the relevant authorities would examine the proposals.

-- BERNAMA