Budget to create opportunities for women

Date: January 1, 1970

When it comes to gender equality, legislation and awareness is vital, but the budgets to back them up are what has the potential to transform reality. Gender blind budgets have been to the detriment of women all over the world.

Although there is no magic recipe for a successful gender budget, we must congratulate Minister of Finance Rama Sithanen for making moves in the right direction with the 2007/2008 budget. The budget makes provision to close the gender gap and challenge gender stereotypes.

For the first time in the history of Mauritius, a whole chapter in a budget speech covers breaking cultural barriers for women and challenging stereotypes. This will help give a backbone to the organisations and individuals who are working hard to raise awareness about gender inequality.

Over the past four Media Watch Organisation (MWO)- GEMSA has worked in schools, non-governmental organizations (NGOs), women’s organisations and clubs to raise awareness of how the media and advertising agencies can challenge stereotypes.

Local and regional facilitators have facilitated workshops on gender and such issues as violence, discrimination, the economy, and politics. Most recently, the organisation is spearheading the creation of a national action plan to end gender violence and gender discrimination.

In early June, participants of a four-day workshop, a partnership between South African based Gender Links, MWO-GEMSA and the Ministry of Local Government, came out with a draft gender strategy for local government. The key message is to mainstream gender in local government and to address the gender gaps. Some of the strategies approved by participants of the Local Government workshop are in line with the Budget Speech 2007/2008.

This includes ensuring that women have economic opportunities through gender parity in employment opportunities and training. It also includes encouraging women entrepreneurs by ensuring women suppliers are aware of opportunities to submit tenders, encouraging large companies to sub-contract to women-owned enterprises, and providing space for women to sell products.

These moves are a step in the right direction for addressing unemployment among women. The female unemployment rate is 15.5% compared to 5% for men, the Minister pointed out. “The higher female unemployment rate is a gender gap that we must urgently close, because it will worsen income disparities and create other gender inequalities.”

There continues to be a lot of gender stereotyping when it comes to the workplace.

Women engineers, pilots or truck drivers were a rarity few years ago. With the 2007/08 budget the whole scenery will, hopefully, change. More women will be encouraged to enter the male dominated work place.

These changing roles can be clearly seen in a new photo exhibit, “Egalite des sexes face aux metiers” (gender equality through jobs) to be held on 29^th June 2007 by MWO-GEMSA under the aegis of Centre Culturel Centre Charles Baudelaire. The 50 pictures from the Indian Ocean Commission region, Comores, Madagascar, Reunion, Seychelles and Mauritius breaks stereotypes in gender roles.

Sithanen said, “We must break the cultural barriers that keep women from taking jobs theirs sisters do overseas such as electricians, plumbers, tile layers, drivers, painters, metal working and gardeners. Employers also must end any prejudice against employing women in these activities.” He is not only helping to challenge stereotypes but also ensuring the capacity building of women.

Sithanen did not speak in a vacuum, “To achieve this revolution we must first provide adequate possibilities for training women in those occupations that traditionally have gone to men only.” The Industrial and Vocational Training Board and the association of construction will soon launch training programmes for women to learn various trades in the construction section.

He further added, “This will redefine our approach to development with equal opportunities for women to enter the world of work in any fields they desire.” Reengineering the parastatal will bring additional benefits to women enterprises for outsourcing.

Moreover, since the government is encouraging women entrepreneurs with the setting up of the empowerment fund, women will benefit from these contracts. Over and above ending prejudices, women will also be empowered to apply for tenders in a wide variety of sectors that have remained male dominated.

The budget also mentions positive discrimination in favour of women. “Government will reserve space for women in the Villages Touristiques”. Women in the Mauritian prisons too have a place in the budget. They will get training by “Kinouete”, an NGO working with women inmates.

NGOs that are committed to work with women and children who are victims of abuse and violence will also get support from Government. A women and children solidarity fund to the tune of Rs25 million has been earmarked for projects that would brighten the lives of battered women and children.

MWO-GEMSA hopes that the removal of duties on household appliances will not only make life easier for women but will also encourage men to do household work. This will break gender stereotypes and will give men the opportunity to show that they too can be professional home managers.

If we all join forces, putting people into boxes will be something of the past. The 2007/08 budget is indeed a tool to promote women’s social and economic rights and to break gender stereotypes. However, we must all keep our gender lens on to make sure that these stereotypes are really challenged and all keys are found to open all these little boxes.

Loga Virahsawmy is the President of Media Watch Organisation in Mauritius. This article is part of the Gender Links Opinion and Commentary Service that provides fresh views on everyday news.

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