The gendered impact of Johannesburg water budget

M.A.Despite constitutional and legislative measures to promote gender equality, gender inequality pervades the South African political, social and economic sectors. It is imperative that government uses gender sensitive policy instruments to reverse these imbalances. Gender expenditure analyses on national budget votes reveal a perpetuation of gender inequality. This municipal study assesses Johannesburg’s water budget process using an analytical framework of three criteria: representation; participation and benefit accrued to women. It determines that administrative representation of women in Johannesburg Water is nominal, the drafting of the budget remains patriarchal and representation of gender concerns for water provision in the consultation phase is not evident. The participation of women in the consultation and approval phases cannot be quantified. Women benefit minimally as employees and as entrepreneurs. This study determines that there is a potentially significant gendered impact of Johannesburg’s water budget, which motivates for this policy instrument to be gender sensitive.Mr. H. Robertson Prof. Y. Sadi