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Implementing the Gender Responsive
and Participatory Budgeting project
in Penang local government
Shariza Kamarudin, Manager, Gender Responsive and Participatory
Budgeting Programme, Penang Women’s Development Corporation
The Penang GRPB model and methodology
Gender Responsive
Budgeting (GRB)
Local Council
Representation
Gender Mainstreaming
Good Governance
Partnership
Empowerment
Democratic Space
Participatory
Budgeting (PB)
Citizen
Step 1:
Situation analysis/
needs assessment
Step 2:
Priorities, objectives,
planning and
budgeting
Step 4:
Evaluation
of project
Step 3:
Implementation
and monitoring
of project
P
enang is one of the 14 states in Malaysia. It is
situated on the north-west coast of Malaysia and
comprises two parts – Penang Island and Seberang
erai in Peninsular Malaysia. It has a population of about
1.6 million people. Penang is popular for its cultural herit-
age and its capital city, George Town, has been accorded
the status of a United Nations Educational, Scientific and
Cultural Organization World Heritage City. The people of
Penang are multiracial, multicultural and multi-religious.
Penang has always been a famous destination for tourism
in Asia. It is highly urbanized and economically developed
compared to other states in Malaysia.
The new state government which gained power in 2008
declared its aim to develop Penang into an international
city and ensure that it runs a people-centred government.
The Chief Minister defined the following criteria for making
Penang an international city:
• a ‘people-oriented government’ which will enrich
everyone by an equitable share in the economic cake,
empower the people with rights, opportunities and
freedom, and enable them with skills and knowledge
• social cohesion and inclusion which results in a shared
society that allows democratic participation, respect for
diversity and individual dignity, equal opportunities and
prohibition of discrimination
• the building of reciprocity, reputation and trust
through civic education and communication for a
strong civil society.
The state government has adopted the principles of compe-
tency, accountability and transparency to represent its
commitment to good governance. At the same time it has
made a commitment to promote gender equality and social
justice in all areas of governance. These commitments are
the fruits of the initial work done by gender advocates in
Malaysia, consisting of members of women’s organizations
and academics.
In 2010, a conference on ‘Gender Mainstreaming: Justice
for All’ was organized in Penang by the state-funded Gender
Equality and Good Governance Society and the Women’s
Development Research Centre of Universiti Sains Malaysia.
One of the recommendations was for the Penang state govern-
ment to adopt and implement gender-responsive budgeting
(GRB), linking its institutionalization in the state to the
overall promotion of gender equality and good governance.
GRB is not something new to Malaysia. In 2004, the
United Nations Development Programme and the Ministry of
Women, Family and Community Development piloted GRB
in five ministries in Malaysia. Following this, three treasury
call circulars duly encouraged other ministries and agencies
to use GRB in their programmes and activities. However, the
latest call circular is more strongly worded, requiring various
ministries and agencies to prepare their budgets using a
gender analysis budget approach. Penang is the only one to
initiate GRB at the state level.
In 2011, a few capacity-building workshops were organ-
ized in Penang with regard to preparation for the adoption
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