The
local
authority
adopted
a
‘standstill’
budget
of
US$264
million
with
the
revenue
budget
pegged
at
US$
167
462 100
and
the
capital
budget
at
$96
602
316.
Speaking
during
the
budget
presentation
in
the
council
chamber
on
Monday,
the
chairperson
of
the
Finance
and
Development
Committee,
Ward
26
Councillor
Mpumelelo
Moyo
said
that
women
constituted
the
larger
number
of
people
who
attended
the
budget
consultations,
and
their
input
was
considered
in
coming
up
with
the
final
budget.
“Women
constituted 52
percent
of
the
total
residents
that
participated in
the
budget
consultative
meetings
while
men
constituted 48
percent.
In
general,
Bulawayo
has
more
women
than
men.
The
city
has
a
total
population
of
665
940
of
which
307,983
(46%)
are
male
and
357,957
(54%)
are
female according
to
the Population
Census
Report
(2022).
Given
a
sex
ratio
of
86
males
for
every
100
females
the
import
of
this
figure
is
that
Council
cannot
ignore
gender
issues
in
its
budget,”
Cllr
Moyo
said.
“In
preparing
for
the
2024
budget,
Council
considered
gender
and
inclusion
issues
by
ensuring
that
the
gender
focal
persons
and
gender
champions
are
included
in
all
budget
planning
meetings
and
their
input
was
invaluable.
City of
Bulawayo
used
WhatsApp
platforms,
newspaper
adverts
and
Council
websites
to
disseminate
information
on
GRB
process.
The
Budget
Sub-Committee
of
the
Council
was
exposed
to
Gender
Responsive
Budgeting
through
attending
workshops
organized
by
stakeholders
such
as
Gender
Links
and
the
Ministry
of
Local
Government.
“The
views
expressed
were
recorded
and
taken
up
to
promote
informed
decision-making
by
the
Council
Management.
Going
forward
there
is
a
need
to
have
online
surveys
disaggregated
by
sex
and
disability
for
the
stakeholders
and
the
community
to
express
their
views;
this
will
be
a
faster
and
broader
way
to
engage
with
the
community
at
large.
The
challenges
encountered during
the
budget
consultation
were
lack
of
time
and
poor
turn
out
of
community
members
and
stakeholders
because
of
the
election
period.”
Cllr
Moyo
also
said
that
the
local
authority
acknowledges
gender
budgeting
as
an
essential
part
of
good
local
governance.
“In
that
regard,
the
Gender
and
Disability
Policies
were
adopted
in
2017
to
further
promote
gender
equity
and
social
inclusion.
These
policies
address
the
component of
Gender
Responsive
Budgeting
as
they
seek to
promote
gender-sensitive
and
inclusive
environments,”
he
said.
“Other
policies
that
currently
address
gender
and
employee
welfare
that
are
in
place
include recruitment
and
selection, sexual
harassment, employee
wellness,
youth,
safety,
health and
environment
and the
City
of
Bulawayo
code
of
conduct.”