PARLIAMENT

The Women Parliamentarians’ Caucus proposed that the National Budget should focus on the impact upon both genders within the Sri Lankan community given the prevailing COVID-19 pandemic and also give attention towards the groups that have been severely affected by the situation.

Accordingly, it was decided to draw attention towards several proposals that will focus on gender in the preparation of the budget for the year 2022.

The decision was taken at a special meeting regarding Gender Responsive Budgeting held last week under Hon. State Minister Dr Sudharshani Fernandopulle, the Chairperson of the Women Parliamentarians’ Caucus.

The Parliamentarians present at this meeting agreed to give consideration to gender when preparing the budget proposals of the relevant Ministries having informed all the relevant officials of the key line Ministries regarding gender budgeting.

Furthermore, the Parliamentarians decided to work closely with Parliamentary Committees such as the Committee on Public Finance to draw the attention of the relevant committees on gender responsive budgeting and thereby engaging with the main process of budget preparation.

In addition, Women Parliamentarians’ Caucus decided that a comprehensive media campaign was needed to create social awareness about gender responsive budgeting.

Vice Chairperson of the Caucus Hon. Rohini Kumari Wijerathna, its members Hon. Parliamentarians Dr. Harini Amarasuriya, Rajika Wickramasinghe, Manjula Dissanayake, Geetha Kumarasinghe and representatives of several social organizations were present at this meeting held via zoom. Prof. Dilani Gunawardena and Dr. Samanmala Dorabawila, Department of Economics and Statistics, University of Peradeniya, conducted a special session regarding the background of gender responsive budgeting and its necessity.