LAUNCH OF THE GENDER BUDGETING & WOMEN'S EMPOWERMENT PROGRAMME

From left to right: Mrs. Dorothy Adebanjo, Executive Director, ZWRCN; Dr. P. Gumbo, Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Women’s Affairs, Gender and Community Development; Hon. Minister O.C.Z Muchinguri, Ministry of Women’s Affairs, Gender and Community Development; Com. O. Chinamasa, Hon. Acting Minister of Finance, Ministry of Finance; Com. S. Nguni, Minister of Economy and Planning, Ministry of Econmic and Planning; and Mr. Apollinaire Ndorukwigira, Program Team Leader, ACBF

The Ministry of Women's Affairs, Gender and Community Development represented by Hon. Minister O.C.Z. Muchinguri in partnership with the Zimbabwe Women's Resources Centre and Network (ZWRCN) officially launched the Gender Budgeting and Women Empowerment Programme on 4 April 2007. The Ministry of Finance represented by Hon. Acting Minister, Comrade P. Chinamasa and Minster of Economic Development and Planning, Comrade S. Nguni graced the occasion. Guests from civil society and the donor community were also present.

Officially launching the programme, Minister Muchinguri highlighted that gender budgeting is process oriented influenced by a lot of players and is also about re-allocation of resources. She emphasized that one of the main objectives of the programme is the institutionalization of gender budgeting in all sectors of the Zimbabwean economy. Speaking on behalf of the Foundation, Dr. Apollinaire Ndorukwigira, Program Team Leader, ACBF, emphasized that the Grant given by the Foundation to ZWRCN should assist in bringing to fruition of some of the objectives of programme. In April 2006, the Foundation granted ZWRCN, US$1 million over four years. Dr. Ndorukwigira reiterated that for the programme to succeed it is fundamental that ZWRCN works in collaboration with key players such as government, parliaments, civil society organizations, local authorities and researchers in gender based budget formulation.