WASHINGTON: The US Senate has passed a $1.7 trillion omnibus spending package for fiscal 2023 and it includes $200 million for promoting gender equality in Pakistan.

The package, passed on Thursday evening, includes $858 billion for defence, $787bn for non-defence domestic programmes and over $15bn for other programmes.

An omnibus bill is a single document that pieces together several measures into one and as the last piece of legislature to pass this year, it will fund the US federal government through September 2023. 

The authorisation of funds for promoting gender equality programmes, however, prohibits spending any of the $200m on abortions. Yet, this is a whopping increase in the last few years.

In December 2020, the US congress cleared $10m for promoting gender equality and $15m for strengthening democracy in Pakistan. The $200m allotted for 2023 is a 20-fold increase from the 2020 allocation for Pakistan.

On the Global Gender Gap Report 2022 of the World Economic Forum, Pakistan ranked 145 out of 146 on the gender equality index.

Afghanistan was 146 and India 135 on the index. Bangladesh and Nepal lead regional performance with over 69 per cent of their gender gaps closed. Bangladesh was 71 and Nepal 96.

Published in Dawn, December 24th, 2022

Opinion

Accessing the RSF

Accessing the RSF

RSF can help catalyse private sector inves­tment encouraging investment flows, build upon institutional partnerships with MDBs, other financial institutions.

Editorial

Madressah oversight
Updated 19 Dec, 2024

Madressah oversight

Bill should be reconsidered and Directorate General of Religious Education, formed to oversee seminaries, should not be rolled back.
Kurram’s misery
Updated 19 Dec, 2024

Kurram’s misery

The state must recognise that allowing such hardship to continue undermines its basic duty to protect citizens’ well-being.
Hiking gas rates
19 Dec, 2024

Hiking gas rates

IMPLEMENTATION of a new Ogra recommendation to increase the gas prices by an average 8.7pc or Rs142.45 per mmBtu in...
Geopolitical games
Updated 18 Dec, 2024

Geopolitical games

While Assad may be gone — and not many are mourning the end of his brutal rule — Syria’s future does not look promising.
Polio’s toll
18 Dec, 2024

Polio’s toll

MONDAY’s attacks on polio workers in Karak and Bannu that martyred Constable Irfanullah and wounded two ...
Development expenditure
18 Dec, 2024

Development expenditure

PAKISTAN’S infrastructure development woes are wide and deep. The country must annually spend at least 10pc of its...