The Zimbabwe Women’s Resource Centre and Network (ZWRCN) has urged women across the country to actively participate in the forthcoming 2027 national and local authority budget consultations.
The organisation said women’s involvement was essential in shaping public spending priorities and ensuring that government resources address the needs of women and girls.
In a statement, ZWRCN said budget consultations provided an opportunity for women to influence decisions on how public resources are raised, allocated and spent.
“Budgets are not simply financial documents; they are powerful public policy instruments. They determine how public resources are mobilised, allocated and spent, and ultimately who benefits from public expenditure,” the organisation said.
It said budget decisions had direct implications for gender equality, access to essential services, economic opportunities and social protection.
ZWRCN has advocated for gender-responsive budgeting for more than three decades, promoting an approach that considers the different needs and priorities of women, men, girls and boys when public resources are allocated.
The organisation called on women participating in the consultations to raise issues affecting their everyday lives, including water and sanitation, unpaid care and domestic work, maternal and reproductive healthcare, gender-based violence and social protection.
It also highlighted the need for greater economic opportunities and measures to promote women’s economic empowerment.
ZWRCN said particular attention should be given to women from rural and urban communities, women with disabilities, young women, entrepreneurs and those working in the informal economy.
It urged women to demand budget allocations that address gender inequalities and provide adequate funding for essential public services.
The organisation also called for stronger links between government spending and measurable gender equality outcomes.
“Women participating in the consultations should call for gender-responsive resource allocations that address identified inequalities and priorities,” it said.
ZWRCN further called for timely disbursement of allocated funds, effective utilisation of public resources and greater transparency and accountability throughout the budget cycle.
It urged the government, Parliament, local authorities and organisations facilitating the consultations to ensure that the processes were accessible and inclusive.
The organisation said women’s participation should go beyond simply attending consultation meetings, arguing that their priorities should have a meaningful influence on final budget decisions.
“Women are not merely beneficiaries of public budgets. They are citizens, taxpayers, workers, entrepreneurs, caregivers and economic actors who have a right to influence how public resources are mobilised and used,” ZWRCN said.
The organisation said it remained committed to strengthening women’s participation in economic governance and promoting gender-responsive budgeting at both national and local levels.
The 2027 budget consultations are expected to provide platforms for citizens and stakeholders to make submissions on government spending priorities and public service delivery.
