CSOs Urge Govt To Prioritise Gender-responsive Tax Reforms

A network of Civil Society Organisations, Tax Justice & Governance Platform (TJ & GP) has urged the Kaduna State government to prioritise gender-responsive tax reforms.

The coordinator, Mr Simeon Olatunde who made the call yesterday in Kaduna at a two-day capacity building workshop for CSOs on advocacy for gender-responsive tax reforms, stressed the need for tax policies that consider the unique challenges faced by women.

He demanded gender-responsive tax reform in the state, saying that it would address the specific needs and challenges of women.

The coordinator said the current tax system disproportionately affects women, exacerbating existing gender inequalities.

Olatunde stressed that gender-responsive tax reforms would promote fairness, equity, and economic empowerment for women.

He said the workshop was aimed at equipping the participants with the knowledge and skills necessary to advocate for inclusive tax policies.

“By promoting inclusive tax policies, we seek to contribute to a more equitable society, where women have equal opportunities to participate in the economy and benefit from tax policies,” he said.

Earlier in his presentation titled, ‘The role of gender-responsive tax reforms in inclusive development’, Dr. Saied Tafida recommended that adopting progressive, redistributive and gender equal taxation including new forms of direct taxation of capital and wealth combined with less reliance on consumption taxes.

Tafida, who is also the regional specialist, Tax for Sustainable Development Goals

(SDGs), United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) Africa Sustainable Finance Hub, said removing implicit and explicit gender bias and discrimination in tax policies would ensure that tax revenues are raised and spent in ways that promote gender equality.