THE Tanzania Gender Networking Programme (TGNP) has said that the proposed government budget for 2024/25 that was recently tabled in the National Assembly does not entail gender-related issues, as it has not clearly identified strategies to address challenges faced by women and children.

Gema Akilimali, TGNP’s Chairperson made the remarks at the end last week at a dialogue with gender activists and stakeholders to discuss the proposed government’s budget for 2024/25.

She said that she could expect the budget to touch deeply on issues such as the safety of women and children in the fields of easy access to social services like, reproductive health, especially for rural women and the fight against gender violence.

"We need some improvements to be made before the budget is passed, including specifying how much is going to be used to improve health and reproductive services and the fight against gender violence," she said. 

Akilimali was surprised by the Minister of Finance, Dr. Mwigulu Nchemba, to spend a lot of time praising the President, instead of the citizens whose taxes are used in the implementation of the budget, something she described as campaigning for her.

“Because when you praise the president without explaining local issues that touch directly the interests of taxpayers you are making them feel like the government doesn’t care much about their welfare," she said.

Lilian Liundi, TGNP’s Executive Director said that the budget has been different from the expectations of the institution in that it does not specify how reproductive services shall be financed, rural water and the fight against gender violence.

She said that the budget should be classified in terms of how it will reduce the burden of women's responsibilities, such as reducing taxes on the import and production of sanitary pads and baby diapers, but this has not been the case.

She wanted the budget to clearly identify how strategic projects such as the Mwalimu Nyerere Hydropower project and the standard gauge railway (SGR) will benefit low-income people such as women and youth by creating a conducive environment for them in activities to increase their income.

Anna Sangai, TGNP’s Acting Head of Training and Education, said the next budget should identify strategies for the improvement of the agricultural sector to benefit farmers who are mostly women by improving the modern technology of tractors to raise them economically.

She advised the parliamentarians who are currently debating the budget to advise the government to look at how it will empower women farmers with modern agricultural equipment to combat the challenges that weaken food production, including climate change threats.