04-February-2025-Editorial

GENDER BUDGET STATEMENT (GBS) 2025-26

The Gender Budget Statement (GBS) 2025-26 highlights India’s commitment to gender-responsive budgeting (GRB).

It reflects increased allocations for women’s welfare and broader participation from various ministries.

Gender budgeting is a strategic tool to ensure gender-sensitive allocation of government resources.

Key Highlights of GBS 2025-26

Rise in Budget Allocation

• The Gender Budget for FY 2025-26 is Rs 4.49 lakh crore, which is 8.86% of the total Union Budget.
• This marks a 37.5% increase from Rs 3.27 lakh crore in FY 2024-25.
• It is the largest-ever gender budget in India’s history.

Participation of Ministries

• 49 ministries have allocated funds for gender-specific schemes.
• Focus areas include women’s welfare, education, and economic empowerment.

Categorization of Gender Budget

• The GBS 2025-26 is divided into three parts, ensuring targeted allocation.

Gender Budgeting in India

Gender Budgeting is the process of analyzing government policies to ensure resources are allocated fairly between different genders.

It helps in making policies gender-sensitive and addressing the specific needs of women, men, girls, and boys.

Historical Background

• India ratified the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination Against Women (CEDAW) in 1993.
• The first Gender Budget Statement was introduced in 2005-06.
• It has been part of the Union Budget every year since then.
• Gender budgeting is a component of the Samarthya sub-scheme of Mission Shakti.

Need for Gender Budgeting

• Gender budgeting is not just a financial tool but a necessity to address gender disparities.
• India ranks 129th out of 146 countries in the 2024 Global Gender Gap Report.
• Empowered women contribute to future generations by improving education and health outcomes.

Implementation of Gender Budgeting in India

Central Level

• Ministry of Women and Child Development (MWCD) oversees gender budgeting at the national level.

State Level

• Departments of Women and Child Development, Social Welfare, Finance, and Planning manage gender budgeting at the state level.

District Level

• Hub for Empowerment of Women (HEW) coordinates gender budgeting at the district level.
• Each HEW must have at least one gender specialist.

Importance of Gender Budgeting

• Promotes Gender Equality: Helps address discrimination and supports Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) 5.
• Supports Legal Frameworks: Ensures effective implementation of laws like:

• Criminal Law Amendment Act, 2013.
• Sexual Harassment of Women at Workplace (Prevention, Prohibition, and Redressal) Act, 2013.

Mission Shakti Initiative

• Launched in 2021 under MWCD.
• Two Sub-Schemes:

1. Sambal: Focuses on women’s safety and security.
2. Samarthya: Aims at women’s empowerment through skill-building programs.

Challenges in Gender Budgeting

Ambiguities in Fund Allocation

• Lack of clear methodology for fund allocation leads to discrepancies.
• Example:

• MGNREGS employs a significant female workforce but is underreported in Part B.
• PMAY-G prioritizes women’s homeownership, yet only 23% of houses are allotted to women under Part A.

Concentration of Funds in Few Ministries

• 90% of the gender budget is allocated to a few ministries.
• Key schemes such as PMGKAY, MGNREGS, and PMAY-G dominate the gender budget, limiting impact across other sectors.

Focus on Long-Term Schemes

• Gender budgeting includes long-term schemes like:

• Ayushman Bharat
• PM Awas Yojana

• This diverts resources from immediate-impact programs like Mission Shakti and education-focused initiatives.

Lack of Monitoring and Evaluation

• No proper tracking mechanisms for gender budget effectiveness.
• Poor quality impact assessments and lack of gender-segregated data hinder progress.
• The UN recommends better sectoral monitoring and collaboration between MWCD and the Ministry of Finance.

Lack of Political Will

• Gender budgeting may not always be a priority for policymakers, leading to insufficient support and slow implementation.

Way Forward

Integration Across All Ministries

• Ensure gender-sensitive budgeting across sectors, including infrastructure and rural development.

Investment in Gender-Specific Data

• Collect and analyze gender-specific data to accurately assess policy impacts.

Strengthening State-Level Gender Budgeting

• Encourage state governments to increase gender budget share.
• Include vulnerable women, especially tribal groups, in the planning process.

Transparency in Fund Allocation

• Public disclosure of allocation methodologies will enhance accountability and trust.
• Regular gender audits should be conducted across ministries.

Capacity Building and Training

• Train government officials and policymakers on gender budgeting.
• Enhance their ability to incorporate gender perspectives in policymaking and resource allocation.

Conclusion

• The Gender Budget 2025-26 is a significant step toward gender equality in India.
• Increased allocations and broader ministry participation indicate positive progress.
• However, improved monitoring, transparency, and integration across all sectors are necessary for real impact.
• A robust and transparent gender budgeting framework will contribute to India’s long-term gender equality and empowerment goals.