A GENDER-RESPONSIVE budget (GRB) looks at how government spending affects women, men, girls and boys differently, based on their roles, needs and lived experiences, says the Gender Budget Group (GBG).
Instead of applying a one-size-fits-all approach, GRB proposes that budgets address the real needs of different groups. This means designing programmes and allocating funds in ways that benefit everyone fairly – which is why it’s called “gender-responsive”.
GRB can be implemented at national, state or community levels. Countries like the Philippines and Indonesia have been practising GRB for over 20 years, while Malaysia, Laos and Cambodia are still in the early stages. Globally, over 40 countries – including Australia, Bangladesh, India and the United Kingdom – have adopted GRBs at different points in their budget processes.
The GBG has outlined seven key areas Malaysia should focus on:
> Make gender equality part of government planning
All ministries should be required to track progress using clear targets, improve their capacity to apply a GRB, and collect detailed gender data to shape better policies.
> Support women in the workforce
To improve the low female labour force participation rate (around 56%-57%), there should be more return-to-work programmes, flexible work options, gender pay gap reporting, and strong investment in affordable, community-based care services for children, seniors and people with special needs.
> Strengthen social protection
Social safety nets should be designed to support people throughout their lives.
Key proposals include reforming the Employees Provident Fund for better retirement savings, piloting a national long-term care policy, and making childcare subsidies easier to access, especially for middle-income families. > Tackle gender-based violence:
There should be more direct funding for services like crisis hotlines and shelters, better training for frontline responders, national awareness campaigns on intimate partner violence, and resources to address online abuse and support trauma care.
> Make education more inclusive
The government should set up a single authority for early childhood education, include comprehensive sexuality education in schools, address menstrual poverty, and ensure funding for inclusive classrooms – especially for autistic girls and students with disabilities.
> Improve women’s health
Shift the focus to preventive care by tackling teenage pregnancy, addressing the health gap (as women tend to spend more time in poor health), and creating national support programmes for menopause.
> Increase women’s representation in leadership
Introduce legal quotas for women in Parliament and on company boards, create a national leadership academy for women, and set up a fund to support women candidates running for office.
