Resource Library

Lanka Monthly Digest (LMD)

Gender Sensitive Funding (CEPA Article)

Publisher: Media Services (Pvt.) Ltd

Place of Publish: Sri Lanka, Colombo

Year: 2014

Series: 14-Jul

Acc. No: 87-J

Category: Journals

Languages: English

Published in the July edition of Sri Lanka’s leading business magazine, LMD, the article highlights the fact that national policies and policymakers prefer homogeneity in laws and policies. As a result, contributions by women in various sectors of the economy are neglected. The proposed Microfinance Act seeks to promote and recognize microfinance institutions to attract more funding. As outlined in both the government’s 10-year plan and 2013 budget, goals for development of SMEs and microfinance have been set. Despite the budget proposing to identify women entrepreneurs in each district, a key part of its legislation lacks specificity to stimulate such targets. The reticence of government bodies in adopting a more gender-sensitive approach and the need to specify women in policymaking must be reconsidered in the coming future. The article urges policymakers to consider gender-specific dimensions and to cater to the needs of the female population who are most in need of such funding. The article is a contribution by the Centre for Poverty Analysis.