UNDP Global Dialogue on Public Finance and Tax for Gender Equality

Achieving gender equality and the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) by 2030 requires substantive reforms in current economic structures. Taxation and fiscal policies can perpetuate inequalities and reinforce gender norms, but they can also play a crucial role in shaping gender equality and power dynamics. An increasing number of countries are working to better understand the relationship between the SDGs, gender equality, tax and fiscal policies, and to conduct structural reforms towards gender-equal economies.

The United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) is providing support to member countries to achieve these common objectives within its flagship EQUANOMICS: Fiscal Policies work for gender equality and the Tax for SDGs Initiative.

It is in this context that UNDP organized the first Global Dialogue on Public Finance and Tax for Gender Equality, which brought together more than 150 representatives from Ministries of Finance and Tax Authorities, civil society, academia, UNDP staff, thought leaders and partners from around 40 countries across the world.

The Global Dialogue discussed how fiscal planning can contribute to building more equitable societies, while bringing evidence on how gender equality in turn helps leverage tax revenue.

The main objectives of the Global Dialogue are:

Generate a shared understanding on the interlinkages between public finance, tax and gender equality and the SDGs, featuring expert perspectives, research evidence and case studies.
Exchange experience on institutional and policy reforms required to implement tax and fiscal policies that support gender equality and expand domestic resource mobilization.
Identify concrete actions to initiate policy and institutional reforms in participant countries.

Learn more about the global dialogue here watch the sessions below.

Day 1-Tuesday, 6 February 2024

Session 1: Inauguration of the dialogue

Achim Steiner, Administrator, UNDP.
Ms. Inés Nefer Bertille INGANI,Minister for the Promotion of Women and the Integration of Women in Development and Informal Economies, Republic of the Congo.
Cindy Quesada, Minister of Women, Costa Rica.
Ville Tavio, Minister for Foreign Trade and Development, Finland.
Sarah Iqbal, Program Officer, Gender Equity and Governance, Hewlett Foundation.

Moderators: Raquel Lagunas, Director of Gender Equality, and Thomas Beloe, Director of the Sustainable Finance Hub OiC.

Session 2: Framing the Global Dialogue: Public Finance at the centre of shaping economies, fostering gender equality and the SDGs Agenda.

Keynote speaker: Fireside chat with Diane Elson, Emeritus Professor at Essex University.

Panel discussion:

Abdulkadir Muhammed Basheer, Director, Tax Policy Federal Ministry of Finance, Nigeria.
Leah Eryenyu, Feminist Political Economy Analyst, Tax Justice Network Africa (TJNA).
Toril-Iren Pedersen, Assistant Director, Department for Partnerships and Shared Prosperity Section for Governance and Transparency, NORAD.
Moderator: Raquel Lagunas, Director of the Sustainable Finance Hub

Session 3: Gender inequality in Public Finance and Tax systems

Presentation by Caren Grown, Senior Fellow, Sustainable Development Center, Brookings Institution, and Q&A.

Panel discussion:

Ceren Ozer, Senior Economist,World Bank.
Sripriya Srivatsa, Gender equality and Tax specialist,International Centre for Tax and Development.
Prof. Lekha Chakraborty, National Instituteof Public Finance and Policy, India. Member of the Governing Board of Management, International Institute of Public Finance, Munich.

Session 4: Impact and benefits of well-designed fiscal policies and tax systems.

Panel discussion:

Memory Zonde-Kachambwa, Executive Director, FEMNET.
Veronique Herminie, Board Chair, ATAFWomen in Tax Network (AWITN) and Former Commissioner General, Seychelles Revenue Authority.
Katherine Gifford, Senior Policy Specialist on Gender-Responsive Budgeting, UN Women.

Moderator: Ahtesham Khan, Project Manager of the Tax for SDGs Initiative

Day 2 - Wednesday, 7 February 2024

Session 6: Recap of day 1

Moderators: Thomas Beloe, Director of the Sustainable Finance Hub OiC, and Manita Ray, UNDP Gender

Session 7: How to embark and conduct fiscal policy and tax reforms

A roadmap for fiscal policy and tax reforms. Aroa Santiago, Team Lead on Gender Equal Economies, coordinator of EQUANOMICS.

Panel discussion:

Maria Fernanda Valdes, Vice-Ministerof Finance, Colombia
Luis Carlos Reyes, Director General of the National Directorate ofTaxes and Customs (DIAN).
Ahmed Djaffar, Director General, GeneralDirectorate of Taxes, Comoros.
Fariya Mohiuddin,Senior Program Officer, Tax and Policy (Global)Plenary discussion.

Moderator: Caren Grown, Senior Fellow, Sustainable Development Center, Brookings Institution.

Session 8: How to embark and conduct fiscal policy and tax reforms. Group discussion.

Moderator: Aroa Santiago, Team Lead on Gender Equal Economies, coordinator of EQUANOMICS.

Session 9: Ministries of Finance and Tax Authorities reform: the driving force of welfare states.

Fire chat with Raquel Lagunas, Director of Gender Equality, UNDP, on how to move from “cosmetic adjustments” toward comprehensive reforms.

Introduction of organizational reforms with the Gender Equality Seal for public Institutions, Ana Landa, Global Manager of UNDP ́s Gender Equality Seal for Public Institutions UNDP.

Panel discussion:

Mungunchimeg Sanjaa, Vice Minister of Finance, Mongolia

Aysha Ahmad, Board Secretary & Executive Director, Legal Services and the Chairperson of the Implementation Committee of Gender Equality Kaduna Internal Revenue Service, Nigeria

Dere Jemilat, Head of HR & ICT at the Ondo State Internal Revenue Service and Chairperson of the Gender Equality Committee, Ondo IRS, Nigeria

Moderator: Ana Landa, Global Manager of UNDP ́s Gender Equality Seal for Public Institutions UNDP.

Day 3, Africa Day-Thursday, 8 February 2024

Session 1: Regional realities

Panel discussion:

Rev. Dr. Ammishaddai Owusu-Amoah, Commissioner General, Ghana Revenue Authority
Sam Shivute, Commissioner/Chief Executive Officer, Namibia Revenue Agency
Esther Wahome, Deputy Commissioner, Policy & Tax Advisory, Domestic Taxes, Kenya Revenue Authority

Cynthia Perelle Sonia MOUSSIROU, Technical Advisor to the Minister of Economy and Participations, Ministry of Economy and Finance, Gabon
AZIGLOSSOU-VOVOR Abravi Dzidua, Director of Human Resources and Professional Training, Togolese Revenue Authority

Moderator: Daisy Edem Attu, Coordinator, African Tax Administration’s (ATAF) Women in Tax Network (AWITN)

Session 2: Plenary discussion of country priority actions

Moderator: Leah Eryenyu, Feminist Political Economy Analyst, Tax Justice Network Africa (TJNA)

Session 3: Gathering of all regions. Presentation of regional planning and closing of the event

Moderators: Raquel Lagunas, Director of Gender Equality, and Thomas Beloe, Director of the Sustainable Finance Hub OiC.