This background paper was prepared for the Commonwealth Secretariat in May 2007 by Mariama Williams, Adjunct Associate, Center of Concern, Washington DC and Research Adviser for the International Gender and Trade Network. The paper explores in great detail to what extent the multilateral trading system can help to support the financing of gender equality and women's economic and social empowerment in Commonwealth developing countries.

This document, represents the gender analysis that was conducted on Tanzania's 2003-2004 National Budget. The study conducted by Tanzania Gender Networking Programme (TGNP) opens with characteristics of a gender-sensitive and pro-poor budget and continues with the analysis of Tanzania's 2003-2004 revenues and expenditures. It includes recommendations for more equitable and pro-poor budgeting, priority sectors, health, agriculture and water, within Tanzania.

This study "Intergovernmental Fiscal Relations" by Debbie Budlender and Julia de Bruyn, based on the South African case, discusses the allocation of responsibility for expenditure and powers to raise revenue to different spheres of government. A system of intergovernmental fiscal relations includes the construction of a system of transfers to overcome the problem of "mismatch" between such responsibilities and powers.

The document by Forum for Women in Democracy (FOWODE), is a brief paper on the gender analysis of the Uganda taxation sector. This gender analysis provides a basis for investigating the gender dimension in tax policy formulation and Central Government tax administration carried out by Uganda Revenue Authority (URA).