Commissioner-General of Sierra Leone’s National Revenue Authority (NRA) and Vice Chairperson of the African Tax Administration Forum (ATAF) Women in Tax Network Madam Jeneba J. Bangura delivered a keynote address titled “Gender-Responsive Tax Policy Design in the Context of Beijing+30” at the United Nations Headquarters in New York.
In her address, she emphasized the critical role of tax policy in advancing gender equality, particularly as the 30th anniversary of the Beijing Declaration and Platform for Action approaches.
Mrs. Bangura highlighted that despite international commitments such as the 1995 Beijing Declaration and the Sustainable Development Goals, significant gender disparities persist globally. She pointed out that many tax systems fail to address women’s unique challenges, citing issues like the disproportionate impact of consumption taxes on women, biases favoring male-dominated industries, and income tax structures that reinforce existing inequalities.
Advocating for the inclusion of women in tax policy formulation, Mrs. Bangura stressed that their perspectives are essential for creating equitable policies. She called for comprehensive research and collaboration among governmental bodies to collect and analyze gender-disaggregated data. Furthermore, she noted that sharing insights across nations could enhance the understanding of the relationship between tax policy and gender equity.
Mrs. Bangura also highlighted Sierra Leone’s efforts to promote gender-responsive tax policies, such as the Gender Equality and Women’s Empowerment Act of 2022 and tax incentives for organizations that employ women in senior management positions.
In closing, she urged continued collaboration and commitment to designing tax policies that empower women and foster equitable economic development globally.