Social Watch - Tamilnadu

GENDER BUDGETING

On 15th November 2022, Ms.Kamatchi received a request from Lead-Gender Responsive Budgeting (GRB), UN Women-South Asia regarding the input on Exercises/Case Studies on Intersectionality & GRB. After a thorough discussion with Mr.Christudas Gandhi, we presented a write-up on “Validating SC-ST Women: Why SC-ST women focus on feminism”; with deeper understanding of their issues and solutions.
On 14th September 2022, Ms.Kamatchi was invited as resource person in the Seminar on ‘Adopt and Strengthen Policies and Enforceable Legislation for Gender Equality’ (SDG 5.C); organized by Tamilnadu State Commission for Women at Amma Maaligai Conference Hall, Greater Chennai Corporation. (Click here to view the Invitation, Pictures)
During the above seminar, the information I shared to the gathering about the recent Government Order G.O (Ms) No.38, on "...Formulation of GENDER BUDGET in all Departments..."; by the Department of Social Welfare and Women Empowerment, Government of Tamilnadu; dated 08.07.2022; annexed with the Guidelines and Terms of Reference. This information was flashed in the Indian Express Newspaper along with our demands to release the ‘New State Policy for Women 2022’ and to include the TN Women’s Commission in the High Level Women Empowerment Committee of the TN Women’s Policy. (Click her to read the news article)
During 5-6 September 2022, Ms.Kamatchi, SW-TN represented TN CSO voice in the ‘Lateral Learning Programme on Gender Responsive Budgeting’ – South Zone (Andhra Pradesh, Tamil Nadu, Kerala, Telangana, Karnataka, Puducherry, Lakshadweep, Andaman & Nicobar Islands); Organised by ‘Department of Women, Children, Disabled and Senior Citizens, Andhra Pradesh’ & UN WOMEN; In Collaboration with ‘Ministry of Women & Child Development, Government of India’ at Vishakhapatnam. (Click here to view the Programme Schedule & Photo)
On 31st July 2022, Ms. Kamatchi was invited for the Public meeting at Dharmapuri on “Women and Gender Budgeting”; Organized by TamilNadu Women’s Collective as part of their ‘27th Annual State Conference – a gathering of 500 Women across all districts in Tamilnadu’. (Click here to view Agenda and Photo)
On 18^th July 2022, Ms. Kamatchi handled a session on "GRB Tools & Overview" in the Two Day Training Programme on " Gender Budgeting" in association with UN Women & Ministry of Women and Child Development; Organized by Andhra Pradesh Human Resource Development Institute (APHRDI) at Regional Centre Srikalahasti. (There were 40 Officers, of which 36 were women) [Click here to view the Invitation and Photo]
On 12^th June 2022, SWTN invited ‘Ms. Shamim, Technical Coordinator – UN Women – Tamilnadu chapter’ to discuss at our office to take forward an Intersectional and Decentralized Gender Budgeting in Tamilnadu.
On 8^th June 2022, Ms. Kamatchi was invited by the Joint Director, Directorate of Social Defence, Government of Tamilnadu – to present a session to their team on GENDER BUDGETING – as a model to take forward Child Budgeting in Tamilnadu; at Purasaiwakkam, Chennai.
On 22nd April 2022, following our advocacy efforts on decentralized Gender Budgeting; our recommendation was reflected through a social activist in media – Times of India Newspaper: “We aspire Chennai City that initiates participatory decentralized budget process focussing on issues of women and children of the deprived urban communities.

On 19th April 2022, as a follow-up of 29th March 2022 ‘Women Policy and Budget consultation’, the Key DEMANDS from Stakeholders were CONSOLIDATED DEPARTMENTWISE and forwarded to Honourble Minister Social Welfare Tmt.P.Geetha Jeevan, Thiru.Shambu Kollolikar IAS, Additional Chief Secretary and Tmt.A.S.Kumari, Chairperson Tamilnadu State Women Commission; with the Request for a PREBUDGET GENDER DISCUSSION (Tamil) in the month of August 2022.

On 29th March 2022, Social Watch-Tamilnadu & Good Shepherd Health Education Centre; In collaboration with Tamil Nadu Women’s Collective and EKTA Resource Centre for Women; jointly organized a State Level Consultation on ‘POLICIES and BUDGETS for WOMEN’ with Tamilnadu State Commission for Women at ICSA, Egmore, Chennai.

On 28th March 2022, Social Watch Tamilnadu & Good Shepherd Health Education Centre jointly organized a “State Level Consultation On “Schemes For SC / ST Women” at ICSA, Egmore, Chennai. Expertise in the field of entrepreneurship development, resource identification and mobilization, post metric scholarships and scope for overseas education were assigned to handle the sessions to give both inputs and share hands on experiences.

Tamilnadu Government has released its Fifth ‘GENDER BUDGET STATEMENT’ (GBS) in its Budget Publication No:64, Appendices to Budget Memorandum 2022-232, AnnexureXXII.

On 8th March 2022, celebrating Women’s Day, Ms.Kamatchi was invited as resource person to present key recommendations on Women Policy and Gender Budget to the Chairperson Ms. A.S.Kumari, Tamilnadu State Women’s Commission during the programme on “Women towards Equality” organized by Tamilnadu Women’s Movement at Chennai.

On 5th March 2022, Ms.Kamatchi actively participated in the Online Discussion on Women’s Commissions – A Closed group discussion on the purpose, role, opportunities and constraints of Women’s Commissions, National and State with the Objective to pool experiences and thoughts to contextualise the current discussion, identify what we want done and what we might do; organized by Prajnya.

On 15th February 2022, the above news was also discussed in Television News Channel THANTHI TV in vernacular language. (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MJ-EJck2eV8&ab_channel=ThanthiTV )

On 14th February 2022, India Ahead News Channel showcased our Gender Budgeting Demands: Activists from across the State have sought decentralized gender budgeting with allocations based on vulnerability indicators like caste and occupation of women, ahead of the fifth gender budget statement to be presented by the Tamil Nadu government in the budget session of 2022. (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=h12bU0QziJI)

'Wish List for GENDER BUDGETING –for the Tamilnadu Budget session 2022’ were reflected in the daily Newspaper ‘The Indian Express” dated 14th February 2022.(https://www.newindianexpress.com/states/tamil-nadu/2022/feb/14/gender-budgeting-activists-from-tamil-nadu-want-focus-on-decentralisation-and-social-equity-2419090.html)

On 14th February 2022, we released our ‘Gender Budgeting Demands’ Poster during "One Billion Rising Campaign 2022 - Rise for the bodies of all Women and Girls and the Earth" Organized by OBR Committee-Madurai, Tamilnadu.

On 12th February 2022, through Prof.Aranga Mallika (Ex-Director, Women Studies Centre, Ethiraj College), we submitted our “Wish List for GENDER BUDGETING –for the Tamilnadu Budget session 2022” to Honorable Chief Minister and Chief Secretary of Government of Tamilnadu.

During February 2022, SWTN submitted our Gender Budgeting Recommendations to the collaborative intervention by the TN Civil Society Organizations towards Universal Periodic Revie (UPR) IV Tamilnadu State Level Report.

Following the suggestions raised on 22nd Jan 2022 during the Online Discussion on “Policy and Budget for Women in Tamilnadu”; we drafted a Recommendations / Wish List for GENDER BUDGETING –for the Tamilnadu Budget session 2022-23 and circulated for endorsement to take it wider as a JOINT REPRESENTATION. This joint statement was widely disseminated across all stakeholders in CSOs, academicians, MLAs, MPs, Political Parties and bureacrats.

As a followup of the Online Discussion on “POLICY and BUDGET for WOMEN in Tamilnadu” held on 22nd January 2022; after getting endorsements from key stakeholders, we submitted to the Government and Circulated the same among other Civil Society Groups. Our demands were highlighted in the Daily Newspaper ‘The Hindu’ on 3rd Feb 2022.

On 2nd Feb 2022, Ms.Kamatchi was invited as a Resource Person for the Discussion on "Gender, the Marginalized and Union Budget 2022-2023; Organized by Dept of Women's Studies, Bharathidasan University, Trichy.

On 22nd January 2022, SW-TN, EKTA Resource Centre for Women and TN Women’s Collective together invited all the TN Women’s Groups together for an Online Discussion on “POLICY and BUDGET for WOMEN in Tamilnadu”; with the objective to make all stakeholders submit suggestions for revising the “Draft 2021 TN State Policy for Women of Department of Social Welfare and Women Empowerment” by 31st January 2022. A consolidated recommendation as ‘CSOs Suggestions on TN Women Policy Draft’ was sent as a joint statement to Director, Social Welfare, Government of Tamilnadu (dsw.tn@nic.in).

During end of December 2021, Tamilnadu State Government released “TN State Policy for Women 2021 (Draft)” for public opinion. We circulated this draft policy to all stakeholders to initiate a discussion.

On 25th November 2021, following the Online Orientation held on 19th October 2021, we invited the “Good Shepherd Health and Education Centre (GSHEC) – Karamadai & Valparai” for a Training session on GENDER BUDGETING at ICSA, Egmore.
On 22nd October 2021, Ms. Kamatchi sent an RECOMMENTATION MAIL to Drafting committee of State Women Policy, Govt of Tamilnadu on the title “Intersectional Planning and Programme for Women”. (Most of the suggestions placed were incorporated in the draft policy released on 15th December 2021).
On 25th September 2021, SWTN along with EKTA organized an Online Discussion on “Holistic Policy and Budget for Women in Tamilnadu” to invite more suggestions from stakeholders – to forward to Government’s Policy Formulation Team (tnstatepolicy@gmail.com).
On 20th September 2021, Ms.Kamatchi was requested by Prof.N.Manimekalai to give suggestions for the “Second Consultative Workshop on Formulation of STATE POLICY FOR WOMEN”; organized by ‘Department of Social Welfare and Women Empowerment – Government of Tamilnadu’ along with UNICEF, UN WOMEN and ‘Inter Agency Expert Group –SDGs’.
On 1st September 2021, Ms. Kamatchi’s article on “Pengaluku Thevai Thani Budget” highlighting the ‘GENDER BUDGETING PROCESS in TAMILNADU and the way forward towards Budgeting for Marginalized Women in Tamilnadu’ was published in the Tamil Monthly Magazine ‘Pengalin Kural’.
Tamilnadu Government has released its Fourth GENDER BUDGET STATEMENT (GBS) in its (Revised Budget) Publication No:64, Appendices to Budget Memorandum 2021-22, Annexure XXII.
During 15-19 January 2021, SW-TN co-organized two programmes - “Five Days National Level Online Training Programme (I-Forenoon Programme & II – Afternoon Programme) on GENDER BUDGETING” along with Department of Women Studies-Bharathiar University, Tamilnadu State Resource Centre for Women and Ministry of Women and Child Development. Due to our prior network, we invited resource persons from United Nations WOMEN and Centre for Budget Governance Accountability.
On 18th November 2020, Ms. Kamatchi, SWTN was invited as a Resource Person for the Webinar on ‘Gender Budgeting – Planning and Allocation for Gender Needs’ organized by Tamilnadu State Development Policy Council, Government of Tamilnadu; to present a session on “Gender Budgeting for marginalized women in TamilNadu” to the Key Bureaucrats in Tamilnadu including the the Vice Chairperson of Tamilnadu State Development Policy and Secretaries of Department of Finance, Government of Tamilnadu.
On 23rd January 2020, Ms. Kamatchi was invited as a resource person for the “The State Level Training Programme on GENDER BUDGETING to Police Personnels”; Organized by Department of Women's Studies, Bharathiar University; In Collaboration with ‘Inservice Training Centre’, Coimbatore; Funded by Ministry of Women and Child Development (MWCD), New Delhi.
Tamilnadu Government has released its third GENDER BUDGET STATEMENT (GBS) in its Budget Publication No:64, Appendices to Budget Memorandum 2020-21, Annexure XXII.
Social Watch – Tamilnadu is happy to share the second GENDER BUDGET STATEMENT (GBS) of Government of Tamilnadu; in its Appendices to Budget Memorandum 2019-20, Budget Publication No: 64. (Click the above link to view the second GBS)
Social Watch - Tamilnadu shared the recent analysis of the 'Gender Budget Statement of TN Government' to a Journalist, following which a news article on "A women's Special in the Budget: Gender Budget Statement, a first for Tamilnadu, appears as the last chapter of the document " , was flashed in 'The Hindu', dated 16.04.2018.
Social Watch – Tamilnadu extends an appreciation to Government of TN for releasing the first GENDER BUDGET STATEMENT in its Appendices t o Budget Memorandum 2018-19, Budget Publication No: 64. (Click the above link to view the GBS)
Social Watch – Tamilnadu extends an appreciation to Government of TN for this initiative to institutionalize GENDER BUDGETING in the State. Finance (OP-III) Department, Government of Tamilnadu has issued a G.O.(Ms.) No.241, Dated 10.08.2017 regarding Formation of a Gender Budget Cell. (Click the above link to view the complete Government Order)
SW-TN in collaboration with ‘UN Women-South Asia’, organized a “State Level Consultation on Gender Budgeting in Tamilnadu” on 11th April 2017 at State Planning Commission, Ezhilagam, Chennai. (Click here to view the Report)
SW-TN takes immense pleasure in disseminating the document on "GENDER BUDGETING HANDBOOK for Ministries-GoI, State Government Departments, Districts officials, Researchers & Practitioners - 2015 " of Ministry of Women and Child Development, GoI. We printed 450 copies of this handbook for private circulation to key stakeholders to institutionalize Gender Budgeting in Tamilnadu.
SW-TN was part of "A Day's Deliberation on GENDER BUDGETING" organized by Centre for Women's Studies, Ethiraj College for Women on 28th February 2017.
SW-TN was part of the Consultation on "Innovations in Gender Responsive Budgeting: Sharing experiences from the Asia Pacific", Organized by UN WOMEN and National Institute of Financial Management-Government of India, during 8th & 9th December 2016 at Jaipur.
SW-TN was part of the GENDER RESPONSIVE BUDGETING - TOT COURSE (ORIENTATION & ADVANCED) for Budget Groups organized by National Foundation India and UN Women, held at Bhubaneshwar during 29th to 31st July 2015; and at Pune during 26th to 30th October 2015.
SW-TN was invited to present a lecture on “TOWARDS GENDER BUDGETING in TAMILNADU” on 8th April 2015 by Rajiv Gandhi National Institute of Youth Development (RGNIYD), Ministry of Youth Affairs & Sports, GOI.
SW-TN was invited by the State Institute of Rural Development (SIRD), Govt of Tamilnadu to handle a session on “Gender Budgeting in Tamilnadu” on 27th January for 100 women SHG members & PLF members and on 3rd February for women BDOs. Following the request of SW-TN, SIRD, Director agreed to make GENDER BUDGETING as one of the training component in their ongoing trainings. Due to the consistant push from SWTN, SIRD agreed to proceed with exclusive training project on Gender Budgeting for all possible cadres of Govt officials and Panchayat Leaders during the year 2015-16.
SW-TN also registered the importance of “Gender Budgeting Perspective” in the implementation of Dalit Budgeting process – thereby empowering the Dalit Women; during the “Regional Convention for collating SC/ST Demands for the Union Budget 2015-16 Charter of Demands”, held at YWCA on 16th December 2014.
SW-TN was part of the preparation of CHARTER of DEMANDS for the Union Budget 2015-16. SW-TN contributed the following demands for the marginalized women focusing on gender budgeting through the Women Nodal organization ‘NORTHEAST NETWORK’.
SWTN initiated a discussion on Gender Budgeting with Ms. Mythili.K. Rajendran, Director, ‘Tamilnadu Corporation for Development of Women’, Government of Tamilandu. The above mentioned proposal was also forwarded to Women Corporation during August 2014.
SW-TN organized a consultation on "GENDER BUDGETING AND MARGINALIZED WOMEN IN TAMILNADU" on 4th March 2014 at Pastoral Centre, Chennai.
SW-TN presents the publication on "Caste-Blind GENDER BUDGETING & Gender-Blind DALIT BUDGETING - DALIT WOMEN DOUBLY EXCLUDED" to the Central and State governments as well as the civil society and Dalit organization s in the country- as a focal point for informed debates, leading to concerted responses. (click here for Tamil version "Irattai Purakanipuku Aalaagum Dalit Pengal ")
SW-TN with the support of UN WOMEN undertook a project on ‘Tracking State Budget with Intersectionality Framework for an evolution of Gender Responsive Budget for Dalit Women in Tamilnadu’ from October 2011 to April 2013 (REPORT: “Towards Budgeting for Dalit women in Tamilnadu - An Intersectional Approach”).
SW-TN was invited for a Discussion by Ms. Usha, Administrative Officer, Directorate of Social Welfare, Govt of Tamilnadu. Following the discussion, we framed a draft proposal towards “Institutionalizing Gender Budgeting in Tamilnadu” on behalf of ‘Department of Social Welfare and Nutritious Meal Programme”, Government of Tamilnadu during August 2014.
SWTN was part of the “Workshop on Policy Development Framework” organized by IWID during 10th & 11th July 2014 at Asha Nivas, Chennai. The Objective of the Workshop were: 1. Enhancing the perspective on Budget/ Policy formulation, 2. Drawing out the principles for policy formulation (Sustainable Development, Good Governance), 3. Identifying schemes and developing inclusive, creative revenue generating schemes, 4. Developing a framework for the policy development. This workshop was towards “TN Women’s State Assembly II” and eventually towards India’s Women’s Parliament II”. Ms. Kamatchi, Senior Researcher of SWTN presented the following key points during the workshop: An Alternate Budgeting Process – Towards Social Equity Budgeting – Budgeting for the ESC Rights of the marginalized people – Component Plans & their 4 principles: proportionality, universality, convergence and Nodal Agency – Special Component Plan, Tribal Sub Plan, Women Component Plan, Gender Budget Concept, Gender Budget Global Scenario, Gender Budget in India, Gender Budget in Indian States, Towards Gender Budgeting in Tamilnadu, Gender Budgeting for the Marginalized women in Tamilnadu.