Day 2: The GPL Multiparty Women’s Caucus (MPWC) called for its expansion to Municipalities in order to advance the gender, women, LGBTQI+, youth, children, people with disabilities and race agenda. Inputs given by participants in the workshops brought forward plans to mainstream gender responsive budgeting into legislation, oversight as well as programme design and implementation.
The strategic planning session unanimously called for the re-establishment of the GEYODI-R Committee at the GPL, and the positioning of the Committee to receive inputs from the Leader of Government Business and the Office of the Premier to prevent duplication in reporting and oversight. The Caucus also called for activism and for all issues raised during the workshop to be an everyday priority and not mere talk. The Caucus also received inputs on Personal Financial Planning as there is a recognition from the GPL that Women Members especially, have an ambit of responsibility and impact that lasts beyond their lifetime.
Reflecting on the second day, MPWC Chairperson, Hon. Magagula urged that quarterly review meetings be held to assess the impact and progress, as well as integrate GEYODI-R issues into GPL’s Annual Performance Plan (APP). She emphasized that the Rules’ Committee had resolved that MPWC issues be prioritized in the programme of the House. She also urged that the filling of GPL’s Transversal Mainstreaming Champion vacancy be expedited.
In her closing remark, Speaker said Gender Responsive Budgeting would be implemented more widely across the GPL through a ‘Train-the Trainer’ initiative. She announced that there would be scrutiny of the budget from the lens of the Gender Responsive Budgeting criteria and guidelines. She said the GPL’s APP would also be scrutinized to gauge its gender responsiveness. She encouraged MPWC members to continue to learn all the time and remain alert to GEYODI-R issues, and thanked GPL leadership and MPLs for making every effort to attend the Caucus’ strategic planning session for 2022/3.
