A one-day public hearing on gender responsive budgeting on the 2013/2014 budgetary process has taken place at the National Legislature in Monrovia.
The hearing which took place on July 10, 2013, was organized by both Senate and House committees on Gender Equity and Child Development at the National Legislature under the auspices of the National Democratic Institute (NDI).
Outlining an overview of the initiative, the House of Representatives Committee Chair on Gender Hon. Mariamu B. Fofana, revealed that the objective of the hearing was an open committee initiative intended to access the budgetary process and oversight methods of different ministries under review in addressing gender issues and to probe whether they are sufficiently fulfilling public aspirations as keepers of the public trust relative to gender sensitivities and implementations.
To make this a reality, Rep Fofana said, testimonies from five ministries including Gender, Health, and Justice among others will be solicited.
Said Hon. Fofana: “These ministries are selected this year to begin with in order to provide testimonies on the problems faced by the individual ministry in the pursuit of the gender mainstreaming, gender equity and women empowerment; to provide insight of prospers in terms of achieving gender oriented objectives as well as to enumerate the constraints that are serving as obstacles to the achievement of these objectives.
The Lofa County District #4 representative told participants that the forum will entertain presentations which outreaches to civil society involvement, particularly from what legislators can gain from opening the budget process to public participation relative to gender sensitivities which will unveil various means and ways by which civil society can bring positive contribution to legislature’s work in the development of a gender sensitive budget.
Meanwhile House Speaker J. Alex Tyler thanked the committee for the budgetary initiative and promised to work with them in achieving their quest.
