Kigali. A delegation of senior Tanzanian government officials has drawn lessons from Rwanda’s experience in implementing Gender Responsive Budgeting (GRB), a system that has been integrated into national and local budgeting since the early 2000s.
Launched in 2001–2002, Rwanda’s GRB framework ensures that every project is designed with clear, gender-inclusive objectives. Each ministry appoints a focal person to coordinate gender budget statements, supported by a dedicated GRB technical team within the national budget department. The team provides guidance to agencies on embedding GRB principles into their planning and execution.
“Each ministry has a focal person who coordinates gender budget statements within their ministry. To strengthen this, we created a GRB technical team in the national budget department to direct and support agencies on how to integrate GRB into their budgets,” said Christine Mukankundiye, Gender Responsive Budget Analyst at Rwanda’s Ministry of Finance and Economic Planning.
The Tanzanian delegation, which spent a week in Rwanda starting September 1, 2025, met with Rwandan officials on Tuesday, September 2, 2025 as part of a South–South Knowledge Exchange Mission aimed at strengthening institutional capacities in gender-responsive budgeting.
What once seemed abstract and often misunderstood, sometimes reduced to simply counting the number of women in projects—has, in Rwanda, evolved into a transformative tool. It now shapes lives, rebuilds trust, and ensures no citizen is left behind.
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For Rwanda, GRB is not just a policy requirement but a national mindset, reinforced by persistent campaigns, awareness-building, and the collaborative spirit of “Team Rwanda.” From ministers and civil servants to local communities, there is a shared understanding that development is not an abstract promise but a collective responsibility.
“If I’m stuck on something, I’ll just take my phone and call anyone in the Team Rwanda space who has the knowledge to help. That’s how we’ve built creative space over time. For example, if I don’t understand a gender reporting tool, I’ll call someone at the Gender Monitoring Office to clarify. This openness is what keeps the system working,” explained Patricie Uwase, Chief Executive Officer of Rwanda Cooperation.
As the Tanzanian delegation reflected on these insights, one reality stood out: Tanzania has missed key opportunities to strengthen GRB implementation. While policies exist, execution often falters at the stages of planning, monitoring, and linking budgets to real improvements in citizens’ lives.
Still, the mission carried a hopeful message. Delegates acknowledged existing gaps while recognizing progress made—such as the establishment of a dedicated gender ministry with provisions for people with special needs, and efforts to improve data collection for inclusive budgeting.
“We have learned valuable lessons, especially in preparing our budget guidelines, since our Rwandan counterparts incorporate gender inclusivity at that level. They also have monitoring tools that track progress, which is something worth adopting as we explore ways to strengthen the implementation of gender-related needs in our budgets,” said Jenifer Omolo, Deputy Permanent Secretary at the Treasury.
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Tanzania is already taking early steps. In Zanzibar, a pilot ministry began applying GRB in its budgeting process three years ago. The hope is that such initiatives can grow nationwide, ensuring that budgets reflect not only numbers but people’s needs.
According to Omolo the ultimate goal is to create a fair and inclusive system where all genders have equal access to national resources as for Tanzania, the challenge now is to transform its budgets from financial statements on paper into instruments of justice, equality, and meaningful societal change.
