Parliamentary panel stresses on giving importance to gender-responsiveness in upcoming budget

Kathmandu: The Women and Women Committee under the House of Representatives has directed the ministries concerned to give importance to ender-responsiveness in the budget, policy and budget for the new fiscal year 2022/23.

In the meeting, Committee president Nirudevi Pal directed so arguing that it was a budget that worked for every gender by ensuring gender-equitable distribution of resources and by contributing equal opportunities for all Committee, drawing the attention of all provincial governments through the National Planning Commission, Ministry of Finance, Ministry of Federal Affairs and General Administration on the issues, instructed the National Women Commission and Ministry of Women, Children and Senior Citizens for coordinating the effort to achieve gender-responsiveness in the upcoming budget, policy and programmes.

Also, the Committee directed the Ministry of Finance, Ministry of Women, Children and Senior Citizen and Ministry of Industry, Commerce and Supplies to implement the policies and programmes that encouraged the use of silicone cups as the best alternative to the conventional sanitary pads for women to use during monthly period. President Pal informed that the Committee asked the authority concerned to reconsider tariffs on the import of sanitary pads and silicon cups.

“The Committee directs the authorities concerned for effective implementation of the budget allocated for the advancement of women, prioritizing programmes that ensure rights for the sexually marginalized communities, reduces gender-based violence and minimizes maternity and child mortality rate.”

During the meeting, National Planning Commission’s vice-chairperson Dr Bishwanath Poudel shared that the Commission aimed to implement the free distribution of sanitary pads and build public toilets for all genders.

Likewise, National Women Commission’s Chairperson Kamala Parajuli stressed the need to allocate a budget for women, children and senior citizens rather than for development works. Attendees in the meeting such as parliamentarian Narayan Khatiwada, Durga BK and Thammaya Thapa viewed that women’s related issues should be prioritized while allocating the budget.