AIDE MEMOIRE

Background
On behalf of the East African Gender Budget Network (EAGBN), FOWODE is pleased to announce the second East African Gender Budget Conference scheduled to take place 4th – 6th November 2003 at Imperial Botanical Beach Entebbe. The overall objective of the conference is to share experiences in the region on gender budgeting in the context of globalization and to provide opportunity to

« Share and network on gendered approaches through which to engage effectively in the current economic discourse
« Build capacity on gender trade and macroeconomic concerns
« Debate alternatives to overcome the current negative effects of globalisation.

The conference is being funded by UNDP and will include plenary sessions, discussions and group work.

Theme:
Gender budgeting in the context of the globalisation - Whose budget? Does it make economic sense?

The conference will be divided into four major themes:
1. Good governance
2. Gender and trade
3. Decentralization
4. Gender and HIV/AIDS

The four themes have several sub themes allowing participants to work in small break out groups on specific issues concerning women economic advancement towards advocating for gender equity in resource allocation.

Theme 1: Good Governance
Good governance is central to creating and sustaining an environment, which fosters a strong, and equitable development process and is an essential component to sound economic policies. Good governance according to UNDP among other things is the participatory, transparent, accountable and efficient. It promotes the rule of law and equitable justice under the law. The relationship between the state and its people determines whether a nation can create equitable opportunities for its people. This particular theme will attract key presentations on:

1. Holding governments accountable for gender equity and equality.
2. Protection of women’s rights through resource allocation
3. Women’s participation in democracy
4. Gender, peace building and security.
Key strategies will be developed out of the sub themes and recommendations will be made.
Theme 2 Gender and trade
Attempts to promote trade and investment liberalization as the single most important means for poverty eradication and ultimately for development, take place in a context where existing trade and investment policies are already undermining the livelihoods and rights of women and other vulnerable groups. Any changes in trade policy cannot be neatly separated from other aspects of men's and women's lives. Instead, a policy change can set into motion a series of other economic changes that directly affect the livelihoods and well being of poor women and men.
With globalisation engulfing the entire trade systems, the gender dimensions in trade and investment policies come at a time when it is more critical than ever to give a voice to the increasing number of people affected by these policies, most of whom are women and to challenge the economic orthodox that goes hand in hand with the ever increasing power of the World Trade Organization (WTO), the domination of corporate interests over human rights and the increasing unilaterialism in international relations as well as in the multilateral trade system.
The central thrust of most African countries’ budgets is export led economic growth. Government of Uganda for example believes that trade offers the only practicable way out of the dilemma Uganda is facing with respect to stimulating growth and eradicating poverty. A trade reform programme that involves promotion of export led growth dictated by the country's comparative advantage in agriculture is at the heart of Uganda’s budget policy in 2003/04.
However, promotion of Non-Traditional Exports in Agriculture sector is not likely to benefit women equally with men. The Non-Traditional Exports (NTEs), that are being promoted face a number of barriers created by stringent rules of the sanitary and Phyto Sanitary (SPS) agreement of the WTO. Women producers and exporters of NTEs are most penalized by these complex and onerous requirements.

A number of studies have been carried out on the gender impact of trade and investment policies. A recent study from the Gender and Economic Reform in Africa (GERA) has come to a conclusion that "the current trade arrangements contribute to preventing governments from devoting sufficient resources to the social protection of women and other marginalized groups.” In this respect a number of key presentations will be made on:

1. The gender dimensions in WTO trade agreements and other related trade related agreements such as GATTS and AGOA.
2. The effect of trade liberalization of the fishing communities
3. The experience of trade negotiations in Cancun, Mexico, what did developing countries negotiate: the case for Uganda?

Theme 3: Decentralization

In most countries, budgets and other key economic decisions are mainly a responsibility of government technocrats, Representative Institutions such as Parliament or district councils also have a role to play in the budgetary processes. However, their participation is very limited due to either limited education, inadequate time to debate the budgets, lack of clear budget laws and others.

Decentralization has increased opportunities for broader participations on key economic policies. Gender budget initiatives strive to increase the effective participation of legislators both at national and local levels and especially women in making decisions on resource allocation and how their needs should be addressed.

Some questions have been asked where decentralization has increased opportunities for women in decision making processes or Is it just a gamble, what constraints are there and how can we make decentralization work for poor women and other vulnerable groups. These are some of the questions this session will deal with.

Theme 4 Gender and HIV/AIDS
It is apparent and that women are at a greater risk than men to HIV/AIDS. In many African countries, according to the Human Development Report (HDR) 2003, HIV prevalence among the 15-24 year-olds is up to six times higher for females than for males. Poor women are especially vulnerable to HIV because of their low nutrition status, limited education and low social status, culture and consequently inability to negotiate sex. Once infected, women are most likely to postpone or avoid seeking care because of gender constraints, such as domestic responsibility and costs of travel and treatment.

There are a number of policy and technical options directed towards combating the HIV epidemic. In fact, the HDR 2003 suggested that if HIV/AIDS is not put under control it would be very difficult to achieve other millennium development goals. But in the midst of all this, what are the policy options?

There is a debate going on that HIV/AIDS funds are not spent equitably. That the current level of HIV/AIDS funding would have done much more in terms of reducing the spread of AIDS and taking care of the sick if gender issues were taken seriously in spending priorities.

This is a very interesting session and it will look at the best way to spend resources for HIV/AIDS. Are the current resources being spent effectively and efficiently? What is the relevance of gender budgeting for HIV/AIDS

Teach- In session on gender budgeting.
There is increasing demand to offer gender budgeting skills and techniques. FOWODE and other members of the EAGBN will organise a session on how to carry out a gender budget analysis- “the how to”. Experienced practitioners in gender budget training will conduct this training session. This session is to give participants an opportunity to gain knowledge of gender budgeting.

Round table discussion

Budgeting for domestic violence: cost and benefits.
In 1993, the UN declaration on Elimination of Violence against Women recognized the need for governments to budget resources targeted at the elimination of Violence against women.

How have countries tried to tackle this? Is domestic violence a big issue to the economic development of a nation? How much and for what, should be budgeted for domestic violence?

This will be a panel discussion and will mark the end of the conference. Leading economists who have done research in the area of Violence against women and government planners will be part of the panel.

Participation.
There are a number of ways one can participate and contribute to this conference. Participation can be in the following ways.
1. Preparing papers for presentation under the above sub themes
2. Mobilizing a group of people to attend this conference
3. Organizing and exhibition during the conference ( in form of publication and artwork)
4. Financial contribution (sponsoring more participants).

FOWODE will sponsor only 20 participants from the region (those who are members of the EAGBN) and 20 local participants. Self-sponsorship is highly encouraged from other participants form other countries. Those who are interested in participating should submit their profiles by either fax or email to the conference coordinator. Cost to the conference will include registration fee ($100USD), travel, accommodation and meals.

For more information contact:

The Conference Coordinator
FOWODE
P.O. Box 7176, Kampala
Tel: 256-41-540241/540242
Fax: 256-41-540243
Email: [email protected]