SENEGAL-FINANCE-GENER / Budget decisions: a network launched to promote women's influence

The network of women in public finance in Senegal was launched on Tuesday in Dakar, with the aim of promoting the influence of women in budgetary decision-making and providing educational, networking and mentoring opportunities.

The network, launched with support from the United States Agency for International Development (USAID), aims to raise awareness of gender disparities in public finance.

It also aims to offer young practitioners the opportunity to learn about public finance, through mentoring and coaching programs with resource people in the sector, said the organizers.

The network's objectives are to build women's capacity in public finance management, management control and project financing.le de gestion et de financement de projet", said Aminata Dramé Fall, representative of the Direction générale du budget (DGB) at the meeting.

Speaking at the official launch of the network, in the presence of the USAID representative, she emphasized that the project was part of a dynamic initiated by the USAID.This project is part of a dynamic initiated by the State of Senegal to ensure gender equality and women's empowerment.

The DGB, as a key player in public finance management, is fully committed to this "dynamic", she said.

"The DGB's role is not only to commit itself to setting up mechanisms for monitoring, evaluating and integrating gender into budgetary policies, but also to ensuring that these mechanisms are properly implemented.gration of gender in budgetary policies, but also to provide technical support for the network's initiatives (...)'', she added.

For Seynabou Mbaye Guèye, President of the Senegalese Council of Women (COSEF), the creation of this network will open up a new era of participation, collaboration and transformation for women and girls in decision-making processes.

She recalled how statistics reflect "sometimes very low" representation and participation of women in highly strategic sectors.

We are going to invite women to work together, to sit down and consolidate their leadership, especially in the field of public finance management", she said.

Speaking on behalf of the Centre d'études et de recherches en ingénierie juridique et financière (CERIF), Professor Abdoul Aziz Kébé believes that the creation of this network will support the government in implementing public finance reform.

A reform which, he believes, aims to improve not only transparency and accountability, but also citizen engagement for "more inclusive economic growth".

Ultimately, he believes, it should enable the State of Senegal to improve its rating in terms of citizen participation in the budgetary process.

Source: aps.sn/