The Ministry of Gender Equality and Child Welfare with support from the United Nations System in Namibia undertook a two days’ workshop on Gender Responsive Budgeting (GRB) 30-31 October 2018. The workshop was targeted for members of Parliament, Permanent Secretaries of various Ministries and Chief Regional Officers.

The aim of the workshop was to reinforce the role of Gender Responsive Budgeting as part of a key strategy towards gender mainstreaming in Namibia leveraging the capacity of three target audiences operating at three key levels of Governance i.e. Parliament, National and Regional levels.

Speaking at the official launch of the GRB workshop, the Prime Minister of the Republic of Namibia the Right Honourable Saara Kuugongelwa-Amadhila stated that each Ministry, Agency and Regional office is expected to conduct periodic awareness training for all staff members and to undertake regular reviews of the impact of gender responsive budgeting.

The United Nations in Namibia is committed to supporting the government of Namibia in rolling out the Gender Responsive Budgeting. The United Nations Namibia Acting Resident Coordinator Ms. Dennia Gayle noted that GRB is a critical vehicle towards attainment of gender parity in Namibia. She further stated that the workshop is imperative to ensure that policies, planning and budgeting is responsive to the needs of women and girls, men and boys, at all levels of development.

The Minister of Gender Equality and Child Welfare, Honourable Doreen Sioka emphasised that the efforts made by the Ministry on mainstreaming gender in critical frameworks such as NDP 5 should be underpinned by a conscious effort of building momentum for the effective implementation of gender equality principles in particular gender-responsive planning and budgeting to achieve the national targets as well as the Global Sustainable Development Goals, especially SDG number Five and Africa Agenda 2063 and SADC Protocol on Gender and Development.

The workshop is a fulfillment of the Republic of Namibia Government's commitment under the National Gender Policy 2010-2020 and the National GRB Guidelines. Members of Parliament play a major oversight role in ensuring that OMAs implement the National Gender Policy, as well as international, regional and sub regional commitments on gender equality and women’s empowerment.

To this effect MPs are in charge of overseeing the application of GRB principles in the national budget as per Cabinet Decision No 2nd/11.03.14/00.