Towards Violence Free Lives For Women: Tracking Of Union Budgets (2018-21) For Violence Services

According to the National Family Health Survey- 4 (2015-16), 30% women and girls above the age of 15 years reported facing some form of gender-based violence. A large majority of this violence is spousal violence reported by one in three married women, but there are also other forms including acid attacks and sexual violence. The recent COVID-19 crisis and consequent lockdown resulted in many women being trapped in their homes with abusive spouses and family members which led to an exacerbation of the quantum of spousal violence faced by women.

In Oxfam India's latest report — Towards Violence Free Lives For Women: Tracking Of Union Budgets (2018-21) For Violence Services — the budget analysis for schemes to address violence against women from 2018-21 shows that the allocations for women-specific schemes dedicated to address violence against women (VAW) was 2009 Crores in 2020-21 (BE), which in the current Union Budget (2021-22) saw a 10% decrease in allocation. This was under the head Sambal scheme which provides for schemes to directly address VAW. At the same time, allocation for schemes for safety of women with the Ministry of Home Affairs saw an 88% decline. (CBGA, 2021)

As per our latest study, these budgets are inadequate to address the problem. A total of 8.44 crore women are estimated to have suffered from gender-based violence. If 60% of these women were to reach out for violence services, allocations for violence services should be around Rs 11,000 crores annually and ideally 90% of the costs should be borne by the central government. Underutilisation of budgets has been another major challenge. The report focuses on the budgetary issues and challenges of provision of violence services and recommends measures to improve budgets as well as their utilisation.