Action Aid calls for government to invest in gender responsive public services

 

Action Aid Malawi has called for government to invest in gender responsive public services through public financing.

This call has been made as one of the recommendations in a report that has been virtually launched by the organisation dubbed who cares for the future: Finance Gender Responsive Public Services.

Speaking with Malawi News Agency (MANA) Action Aid Head of Programs and Policy Clement Ndiwo Banda said   the report identifies some key gaps regarding financing of public services in the light of Covid- 19 as in what opportunities and challenges are there.

“Among the key messages that we are sending to government is to take advantage of six months debt repayment holiday which the International Monitory Fund has given country .

“To use the resources we should have been paying the debts to invest in public services like health and education,” he said.

He added that they have also made recommendations to government to negotiate to better payment terms which could be longer, that would release some resources to be invested in public services.

“At the same time we are looking at how we can invest the resources available to government to continue to finance public services looking at our taxation policies and strategies that are in place,” he said.

Ministry of gender Chief Gender Officer Ronald Phiri said the ministry is working hand in hand with the ministry of education  and ministry of health to make sure that the .

He said currently they are viewing a number of the gender related laws with the two ministries.

“Under education and labour we are part and parcel of skills and vibrant economy program which is being funded by World Bank.

“Under this program we have a component where we want to target young women who are drop outs so that they become active beneficiaries of what we call active training for them to engage self employment,” he said.

 He said as ministry they have also put in place some measures to make sure that there is allocation of resources of public services that can benefit women and girls.