Empowering Women in Tax as a Catalyst for Change in Africa
Citing ATAF's flagship publication, the African Tax Outlook (ATO), ATAF's Varsha Singh noted that, while improved from 2010, women still hold only 40.02% of employment across 42 member countries. Stressing the urgency for action.
PRETORIA - It is time to intensify gender equality in the tax sector, African Tax Administration Forum (ATAF) executive secretary Logan Wort told delegates during the ATAF Women in Tax Network (AWTIN) in Pretoria on November 23, 2023, gathering focused on the gender disparity in tax administrations across Africa.
Citing ATAF's flagship publication, the African Tax Outlook (ATO), ATAF Head: Strategy, Planning, and International Co-Operation Varsha Singh noted that, while improved from 2010, women still hold only 40.02% of employment across 42 member countries. Stressing the urgency for action, Singh said: "We need to look at an action and to make a call to action to reduce gender inequality."
Wort praised the ATAF Women in Tax Network's impact, extending beyond tax administrations to include the private sector and academia, and challenged the network to leverage its collective power for change. "Your success is because the policies are shifting. Women are getting opportunities. Individuals are growing into leaders," he said, encouraging continued innovation and leadership.
Mr Maurice Ochieng, Programme Manager, GIZ, reflecting on the evolution of women's roles in taxation, noted the progress from times when women could "not file a tax return unless she was married, the tax return was filed by the partner." He emphasized women's need to influence policy and be a voice against regressive legal frameworks.
Ochieng acknowledged the vital influence of ATAF and highlighted that employment and education are key to understanding and tackling women's equality. "And given the proper tools, we are capable of changing the world. But development and education need resources, and therefore solid state finances are crucial for any government and that's where part of women in tax comes in. Because, if you talk of revenue mobilisation, then of course you need to talk finances, building up good educational systems as well as strong public service institutions. And what better way to strengthen state finances and state institutions than through a solid taxation system?" Ochieng noted.
Dr Amelia Muendane, Board Chair, AWITN & Commissioner General, Autoridade Tributária deMoçambique, underlined the network's establishment in March 2021. "This network has a mission to provide a unique environment for women in the tax area and related areas," she said, emphasizing the network's role in fostering a balanced environment for mentorship and development.
Dr. Amelia addressed the ongoing struggle for gender parity in the labour market and economic opportunities, citing the World Economic Forum's 2023 data to illustrate the uneven progress across African regions. She rallied attendees with a clarion call: "We are the mentors of change… Women have the space to promote parity."
Keynote speaker Yanga Mputa, South Africa's Tax Ombud, delved into the evolution of tax policies from a gender perspective. Acknowledging the progress since the interim constitution of 1994, she highlighted significant reforms initiated by the Katz Commission, including the removal of formal gender discrimination and the introduction of a single tax rate.
Mputa stressed that while formal discrimination had been eliminated, implicit biases still exist. She highlighted the need for new tools to address subtler forms of discrimination. "When you look back, we have done something. But it is not good enough," she reflected. Mputa called for collective action, drawing inspiration from South African women who marched against the pass laws, ending her speech with, "If you educate a woman, you educate a nation."
Ms Nana Akua Mensah, ATAF consultant and international tax policy adviser, presented "Reducing Gender Inequality and Taxation in Africa." She emphasised the impact of women in Africa's tax industry and taxation's potential as a tool for change. Arguing for intentional actions, Mensah said: "Tax has the power to change the economic and fiscal reality for a lot of people in the world."
Mensah detailed three policy recommendations: enhancing data collection and analysis, focusing on gender-sensitive tax policy, and emphasising awareness and capacity building. She proposed developing a framework for gender-disaggregated data analysis and incorporating gender impact analysis in tax policies.
Concluding her presentation, Mensah called for the AWITN to answer the call: "As a woman in the Tax Network, I want us to be effective. I want us to be influential. I want us to achieve things and make change."
