Making the national Budget Work for All Zambians
By Francis Maingaila
Lusaka, Zambia24, November 12, 2025 — The Non-Governmental Gender Organisations’ Coordinating Council (NGOCC) has called on the government to institutionalize gender-responsive budgeting across all ministries and local authorities, warning that inadequate financing for gender priorities undermines inclusive growth and national commitments.
Speaking at a breakfast meeting convened to review the 2026 National Budget through a gender lens, NGOCC Board Chairperson Beauty Katebe said the budget should reflect government values and promises, not just financial allocations.
“The national budget must reflect the lived realities of every Zambian — the woman fetching water, the girl struggling to stay in school, and the small business owner working to survive,” Katebe said.
She emphasized that gender-responsive budgeting is not about creating separate allocations for women.
Instead, it is a lens through which revenue and expenditure are analysed to understand their differential impact on women, men, girls, and boys.
Katebe warned that systemic underinvestment in women undermines national development.
“When half of our population is held back by systemic underinvestment, we are trying to fly with one wing,” she said.
She added that underfunding gender equality programmes is also a serious human rights concern.
Katebe further cautioned that reliance on external funding for gender initiatives threatens sustainability and national ownership of the development agenda.
NGOCC Executive Director Annie Mbewe Anamela described the meeting as a “call to responsibility” for all stakeholders promoting gender equality. She said careful analysis of the 2026 National Budget is essential to identify gaps, opportunities, and areas needing policy reform.
“By the end of this session, we expect to have strong guidelines on how we can ensure that national planning and budgeting reflect the realities of women, men, and youth,” Anamela said.
She urged participants to translate the analysis into practical recommendations that can influence future budgets.
She also called for stronger collaboration between ministries, local authorities, and communities.
Anamela highlighted NGOCC’s long-standing advocacy for gender-responsive budgeting.
She said the findings from the meeting will guide targeted engagement with government and development partners.
“This is not just another event — it is a call to responsibility for all of us who care about gender equality in Zambia,” she said, adding that the forum should inspire localized interventions that make gender equality a lived reality.
Minister of Local Government and Rural Development Gift Sialubalo commended NGOCC for its advocacy and reaffirmed the government’s commitment to mainstreaming gender across planning and budgeting processes.
“The national budget is one of the most powerful tools for development,” Mr. Sialubalo said.
“Its design and implementation must ensure that gender equality is mainstreamed at every level of government.”
He said the Gender Division under the Cabinet Office is working to integrate gender analysis and equity considerations into national and local planning.
“Local authorities play a critical role in translating national policies into community outcomes,” he added.
“Through decentralisation, we are ensuring that women and girls actively participate in local development initiatives.”
Sialubalo acknowledged gaps in addressing the needs of women and vulnerable groups, particularly in health, education, agriculture, and social protection.
He called for cooperation among government, civil society, the private sector, and development partners.
“Achieving a truly gender-responsive budget requires collective effort,” he said.
“Together, we must make gender equality not just a policy statement, but a standard practice.”
The meeting — attended by government officials, civil society representatives, development partners, and members of the press — included a presentation of a data-driven gender analysis of the 2026 Budget.
NGOCC said the analysis will be used to refine advocacy, inform policy engagement, and map collaboration with ministries and development partners to strengthen future budgets.
Comments
Post a Comment