Gender Responsive Budgeting
The main aim of the round-table was sharing experience and learning from each other with purpose to give GRB more prominent role in reform processes.
Background
Gender responsive budgeting (GRB) initiatives seek to improve the results of budgets in general, and gender equality and women’s empowerment in particular. They focus on key economic and social matters that are often overlooked or obscured in conventional budget and policy analysis, and decision making (Sharp&Elson, 2012).1
GRB brings together two issues that are not commonly associated with one another: gender equality and public financial management (PFM). GRB argues that gender equality principles should be incorporated into all stages of the budget process (Bosnic, 2015).2
GRB is not a separate process from PFM reform and should be integrated within PFM reforms as it provides better information and ensures better and more equitable budgeting (Bosnic, 2012).
In other words is gender responsive budgeting just good budgeting – budgeting that properly accounts for the positive externalities that are derived from improving women’s opportunities for health care, education, and employment (Stotsky, 2006).3 In addition, it seeks to create enabling policy frameworks, build capacity, and strengthen monitoring mechanisms that allow gender-specific accountability.4
About round-table program
The CEF’s learning initiative brought together international experts on GRB. Case studies from the MENA region and South East Europe were presented as well.
Day 1
A first day was dedicated to analysis on gender responsive budgeting and it’s relation to PFM. International organizations can influence the scope and timing of fiscal adjustment to restore macroeconomic stability. Representatives from respective institutions provided different perspectives on GR budgeting.
Speakers
- IMF, Ms Lisa Lynn Kolovich; Economist
- UN WOMEN, Ms Ermira Lubani, Regional Project Manager, Promoting Gender Responsive Policies in South East Europe
- ITC ILO, Ms Benedetta Magri Short; Senior Programme Officer, International Labour Standards, Rights at Work and Gender Equality Programme
- NIRAS-INDEVELOP, Maja Bosnic; Team Leader for Sida-funded project "Gender Budgeting in Ukraine"
Day 2
Second day focused on national experience. Gender responsive budgeting could be successfully introduced and implemented only after setting priorities firstly on a national level. Some countries have been pretty much involved and have excellent results so far. Some others are facing many difficulties. Sharing experiences is a great way to learn and benefit from success as well as difficulties of other countries.
Speakers
- Ms Friederike Schwarzendorfer, Deputy director general of the federal budget, Ministry of Finance, Austria
- Ms Zineb Bouba, Ministry of Finance, Morocco
- Ms Daniela Collesi, Ministry of Economy and Finance, Italy
- Ms Maruša Gortnar, Ministry of Labor, Family, Social Affairs and Equal Opportunities, Slovenia
Day 3
Conclusions (and recommendations) on the two-day round-table were presented on Day three. All participants were invited to sightseeing tour to Slovenian beautiful Alpine resort Bled. The event’s wrap up session was taken in Hotel Lovec / Kompas in Bled. It was followed by lunch and sightseeing tour. Participants of networking event of the Gender Diversity and Governance around the Mediterranean (that followed on April 21) were invited to join.
1 Sharp, R. & Elson, D., 2012. Improving budgets: A framework for assessing gender responsive budget initiatives. Adelaide: University of Australia
2 Bosnic, M., 2015. Gender Responsive Budgeting, Professional Development Reading Pack, No.14, GSDRC.
3 Stotsky, J.G., 2006, Gender Budgeting, IMF working paper.