KUALA LUMPUR: The Finance Ministry should prepare a Gender Responsive Budget Statement detailing how public spending benefits women and identifying gaps in policies affecting them, said Datuk Seri Dr Zaliha Mustafa.
Zaliha, who is Government Backbenchers Club (BBC) chairman, said the statement should detail allocations, beneficiary groups, targets and policy outcomes by gender, beginning with the Women, Family and Community Development Ministry before being extended to other ministries.
Gender-responsive budgeting takes into account the different needs of women and men to ensure public resources are allocated fairly.
"I would like to propose that the Finance Ministry consider preparing a Gender Responsive Budget Statement detailing allocations, beneficiary groups, targets and policy outcomes according to gender.
"In my view, these perspectives deserve to be heard, given due consideration and taken into account in efforts to improve the effectiveness of government policies," she said in the Dewan Rakyat.
Zaliha said allocations benefiting women were spread across ministries, as policies on transport, employment, health, education and housing affected their safety, economic participation and well-being.
She said this step would help the government assess who benefited from public spending and identify gaps.
The call came amid concerns raised by non-governmental organisations over women's economic participation, unpaid care work and protection services for victims of gender-based violence.
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