Africa-Press – Uganda. The Minister of Finance, Planning and Economic Development, Matia Kasaija, on Wednesday received a report assessing the compliance of the national budget and ministerial policy statements with gender and equity requirements for the 2026/27 financial year.
The report was presented by Safia Nalule Juuko, Chairperson of the Equal Opportunities Commission.
Kasaija said the Commission’s work in evaluating the gender and equity responsiveness of the national budget is a critical accountability mechanism under the Public Finance Management Act.
“Government remains firmly committed to ensuring that public resources are allocated in a manner that promotes inclusive growth and addresses structural inequalities,” he said.
Juuko noted that overall compliance stands at 70 percent, reflecting a slight improvement from 68 percent recorded previously.
She added that the national budget scored 67 percent, while ministerial policy statements averaged 70 percent.
Despite the progress, Juuko highlighted key challenges affecting the full realization of equal opportunities within the budgeting process.
These include failure by some government entities to adequately address regional disparities in their plans and budgets, as well as non-adherence to reservation schemes by ministries, departments, and agencies.
The findings underscore both gains and persistent gaps in aligning national planning and budgeting processes with gender and equity requirements.
The report calls for sustained efforts to strengthen compliance and ensure that public spending translates into inclusive and equitable development outcomes across the country.
