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Nevertheless, lack of sex disaggregated data can make it impossible to carry out a benefit incidence analysis.
In one example of a small enterprise support scheme where it was not possible to determine how many female- headed companies and how many male-headed compa- nies were supported through the scheme, information from an evaluation of the scheme provided a partial pic- ture.
This, however, proved unsatisfactory. | https://transfered-docs-lawep.s3.amazonaws.com/thematic1e/rr/1726050737942.pdf | https://rm.coe.int/1680599885 |
This, however, proved unsatisfactory.
A positive output of this gender budget initiative was that systems were put in place to capture this data for all future projects.
Very often the focus of analysis at programme level is to assess the degree to which gender equality objectives are articulated for the programme and the extent to which those objectives are achieved.
To do this it is important to have as much information about the target group as pos- sible. | https://transfered-docs-lawep.s3.amazonaws.com/thematic1e/rr/1726050737942.pdf | https://rm.coe.int/1680599885 |
So, for example if the programme is targeted at the young unemployed and is being delivered at a local level, building a demographic profile of young unem- ployed people for each local area will be necessary.
Beyond data on sex, age, educational status, etc., knowing about disabilities, ethnicity, language can point to potential barriers to access that need to be addressed. | https://transfered-docs-lawep.s3.amazonaws.com/thematic1e/rr/1726050737942.pdf | https://rm.coe.int/1680599885 |
GENDER BUDGETING AT DIFFERENT LEVELS Steering Committee for Equality between Women and Men 50 In selecting which programmes to make the subject of gender budget analysis, one strategy is to determine the gender relevance of a set of programmes and to rate them according to priority, i.e.
to choose those which have the most potential of making a positive difference in terms of gender equality. | https://transfered-docs-lawep.s3.amazonaws.com/thematic1e/rr/1726050737942.pdf | https://rm.coe.int/1680599885 |
While there is clearly merit to this approach, it is also to be acknowledged that gender budgeting affords the opportunity for all public sector programmes to achieve better outcomes, and to contrib- ute to gender equality outcomes when targeted from a gender perspective.
A clearer picture of the true impact in relation to gender equality will become available through a comparative analysis with other inter-connected programmes. | https://transfered-docs-lawep.s3.amazonaws.com/thematic1e/rr/1726050737942.pdf | https://rm.coe.int/1680599885 |
This kind of comparative analysis may be possible within an agency that has responsibility for a number of pro- grammes.
Extending the comparative analysis to the sec- toral and inter-sectoral level will allow for a broader picture to be developed, for the identification of suc- cesses and for gaps, and, where necessary for the redistri- bution of resources across the sectors. | https://transfered-docs-lawep.s3.amazonaws.com/thematic1e/rr/1726050737942.pdf | https://rm.coe.int/1680599885 |
It is of paramount importance that those responsible for finances and those responsible for service/programme delivery work together to develop a model of sharing responsibility in the delivering of gender equality objec- tives.
There may be constraints in relation to making changes in resource allocation in response to gender-sen- sitive analysis, and the system of decision-making needs to be made adaptive in the interest of improved out- comes. | https://transfered-docs-lawep.s3.amazonaws.com/thematic1e/rr/1726050737942.pdf | https://rm.coe.int/1680599885 |
Beneficiary assessments are a useful instrument at this level as is consultation with the broader target group.
Constantly building and expanding the profile of target groups, with a focus on their gendered needs, will enable a constant refinement of objectives. | https://transfered-docs-lawep.s3.amazonaws.com/thematic1e/rr/1726050737942.pdf | https://rm.coe.int/1680599885 |
GENDER BUDGETING AT DIFFERENT LEVELS Gender budgeting: practical implementation 51 GenderAlp GenderAlp is a transnational project under the EU Interreg Programme bringing together 12 partner cities and regions from Austria, Italy, Germany, France and Slovenia, plus 12 cities and regions with observer status, focusing on the theme of applying a gender sensitive approach to spatial planning and public budgets. | https://transfered-docs-lawep.s3.amazonaws.com/thematic1e/rr/1726050737942.pdf | https://rm.coe.int/1680599885 |
Chief among its objectives was to promote gender budgeting in order to imple- ment gender mainstreaming.
The project was targeted at public representatives and administration at local, regional and national level with the goal of generat- ing a knowledge base and range of tools and methodology.
(Go to www.gender- alp.com for full details) Among the projects undertaken by GenderAlp was one involving Genoa, Munich, Upper Austria, Monferrato Roero and Salzburg. | https://transfered-docs-lawep.s3.amazonaws.com/thematic1e/rr/1726050737942.pdf | https://rm.coe.int/1680599885 |
The aim was to develop a methodology for a gender sensitive analysis.
The project began by identifying two main questions: What are the needs of female and male citizens? | https://transfered-docs-lawep.s3.amazonaws.com/thematic1e/rr/1726050737942.pdf | https://rm.coe.int/1680599885 |
In what way does the administration meet the needs of women and men through: – Political choices – Commitments undertaken within the budget – Service Offered In order to build a socio-economic profile of the population, four generational age categories were established: Child and adolescence care – 0-19 Reconciliation of family and work 20-59 Care and support 60-79 Care for elderly With a schema in place for context analysis of the population, the next element of the methodology was to establish indicators in relation to: Direct Gender Issues Indirect Gender Issues Environmental Gender Issues Within the context of a transnational project, a challenge was to find a common layout for the gender statistics. | https://transfered-docs-lawep.s3.amazonaws.com/thematic1e/rr/1726050737942.pdf | https://rm.coe.int/1680599885 |
GENDER BUDGETING AT DIFFERENT LEVELS Steering Committee for Equality between Women and Men 52 A gender budget pilot initiative Much of the work on gender budgeting to date has been carried out through pilot projects; in some instances initi- ated by civil society groups, and in others by government departments or agencies.
In the case of the latter, the project is often commissioned at the instigation of civil society. | https://transfered-docs-lawep.s3.amazonaws.com/thematic1e/rr/1726050737942.pdf | https://rm.coe.int/1680599885 |
The most common characteristic of these exer- cises is a gender-sensitive analysis of expenditure.
A gender budget pilot initiative provides an opportunity to become familiar with the potential of a gender sensi- tive approach; this is particularly the case with adminis- trators who either do not consider gender to be a issue in their area of work or who hold to the position that the impact of the budget is gender neutral. | https://transfered-docs-lawep.s3.amazonaws.com/thematic1e/rr/1726050737942.pdf | https://rm.coe.int/1680599885 |
The pilot becomes, therefore, important for raising awareness and for stimulating a re-examination of assumptions, which in turn is an important starting point for the work toward mainstreaming.
The scope, the quality of analysis, the degree of learning, the follow-through is dependent on the level of political commitment and the attendant resources to the project.
Many pilot studies, while yielding important findings and stimulating a new focus, are not carried forward. | https://transfered-docs-lawep.s3.amazonaws.com/thematic1e/rr/1726050737942.pdf | https://rm.coe.int/1680599885 |
This can often mean that the learning is lost, or worse, that instead of progressing toward gender mainstreaming, the lost opportunity can represent a step backward.
High-level support for a pilot initiative is vital.
As many pilot initiatives are conducted at programme level, support at departmental level may not be considered necessary.
However, if departmental support is in place from the beginning, the opportunities to disseminate the findings and to secure follow-through are more secure. | https://transfered-docs-lawep.s3.amazonaws.com/thematic1e/rr/1726050737942.pdf | https://rm.coe.int/1680599885 |
Likewise, if a government department is called upon to initiate or support a pilot project, then some degree of consideration is likely to ensue, which itself is useful.
Planning is everything, and planning for everything at the outset is important.
Here are some aspects to plan for: GENDER BUDGETING AT DIFFERENT LEVELS Gender budgeting: practical implementation 53 Plan so as to capture, assimilate and disseminate the learning. | https://transfered-docs-lawep.s3.amazonaws.com/thematic1e/rr/1726050737942.pdf | https://rm.coe.int/1680599885 |
The pilot will yield an array of information on gender that needs to be fed back through the system.
Consider how the pilot is to be documented and what the channels for feed back are all the way up through the system.
Choose strategically the area for analysis so as to yield learning that will add new insights, that is pertinent, perhaps a gender equality priority and which has the capacity to be acted on in a relatively straightforward manner. | https://transfered-docs-lawep.s3.amazonaws.com/thematic1e/rr/1726050737942.pdf | https://rm.coe.int/1680599885 |
There is a tendency to choose an area where the relevance to gender is most apparent.
There is, however, merit in choosing an area where the rele- vance is not so apparent and by so doing expanding gender knowledge.
Planning for follow-through from the outset, will ensure that the pilot will have continuity and there- fore capacity to contribute to mainstreaming.
Funding should be allocated to the pilot to ensure adequate resources. | https://transfered-docs-lawep.s3.amazonaws.com/thematic1e/rr/1726050737942.pdf | https://rm.coe.int/1680599885 |
Gender expertise should be engaged to support and guide the analysis and this need to be resourced.
In addition to high-level support, staff should be tasked with overseeing the pilot, which in turn is likely to entail staff training or mentoring to equip them appropriately.
Involve a range of staff, representing as many facets of the organisation as possible including from budget area, from policy, from corporate affairs, from systems and IT, from service delivery, from evaluation, etc. | https://transfered-docs-lawep.s3.amazonaws.com/thematic1e/rr/1726050737942.pdf | https://rm.coe.int/1680599885 |
If the mainstream is to be changed then all elements must know their role and how they need to accom- modate the change.
Engaging all elements from the beginning will better facilitate the change, as well as bringing a perspective from their particular expertise.
Involve civil society. | https://transfered-docs-lawep.s3.amazonaws.com/thematic1e/rr/1726050737942.pdf | https://rm.coe.int/1680599885 |
Involve civil society.
Gender budgeting is about the democratisation of governance, about increasing the participation of service users, and in relation to gender equality goals, about increasing the GENDER BUDGETING AT DIFFERENT LEVELS Steering Committee for Equality between Women and Men 54 participation of women. | https://transfered-docs-lawep.s3.amazonaws.com/thematic1e/rr/1726050737942.pdf | https://rm.coe.int/1680599885 |
The involvement of civil society in a gender budget pilot initiative can take a number of forms: seeking the expert input from representative women’s groups; conducting a focus group with women directly affected by the budget line/programme under analysis; consultation with academic gender experts; establishing mechanisms to seek the input of a civil society gender budget group. | https://transfered-docs-lawep.s3.amazonaws.com/thematic1e/rr/1726050737942.pdf | https://rm.coe.int/1680599885 |
Gender budgeting: practical implementation 55 The role of civil society Introduction Civil society has been the driver of gender budget work in Europe.
One perspective is that, across the world, gender budgets have emerged out of feminist practical politics.
(Sharp & Broomhill, 2002).
In the work to hold government accountability for its commitments to gender equality, civil society groups have sought to promote gender budgeting as one way of influencing macroeconomic policy from a gender perspective. | https://transfered-docs-lawep.s3.amazonaws.com/thematic1e/rr/1726050737942.pdf | https://rm.coe.int/1680599885 |
Dis- appointed with the inadequate implementation of gender mainstreaming, many advocates and activists believe that gender budgeting has the potential to provide analysis that demands change.
Acting as a bridge between policy decisions and resource allocation, gender budgeting, with its focus on following the money, can demonstrate the weakness of policy to achieve gender equality when adequate resources are not attached to the policy. | https://transfered-docs-lawep.s3.amazonaws.com/thematic1e/rr/1726050737942.pdf | https://rm.coe.int/1680599885 |
The early literature on gender budgeting discusses the mix of players involved in gender budget initiatives worldwide.
Where gender budgeting has had the most impact, this has been due in part to the co-existence of a civil society working “outside” government and an “inside” set of government administrators. | https://transfered-docs-lawep.s3.amazonaws.com/thematic1e/rr/1726050737942.pdf | https://rm.coe.int/1680599885 |
In many situa- tions there has been close co-operation between the two sets of players, with exchange of expertise and experi- ence; in other instances the outside civil society group has encouraged the work inside the administration while maintaining its independence as a monitor and critic.
THE ROLE OF CIVIL SOCIETY Steering Committee for Equality between Women and Men 56 Academics have had a significant role to play, both as members of civil society groups and as individual experts. | https://transfered-docs-lawep.s3.amazonaws.com/thematic1e/rr/1726050737942.pdf | https://rm.coe.int/1680599885 |
They have assisted in developing modes of analysis and on providing gender expertise to administrators.
The role of academics has been particularly marked in Italy, where civil society groups do not appear to be as strongly devel- oped as in other countries in Europe.
In Italy, gender budgeting was introduced via an international seminar in Rome, organised by two academics with financial support from the Special Commission for Equal Opportu- nities. | https://transfered-docs-lawep.s3.amazonaws.com/thematic1e/rr/1726050737942.pdf | https://rm.coe.int/1680599885 |
Since most of the gender budget initiatives in Italy are conducted within government administrations, aca- demics are engaged as consultant experts to carry out the analysis and help interpret the findings.
Looking ahead to the development and strengthening of the practice of gender budgeting, civil society practition- ers, researchers and activists recognise the need for a greater understanding of how national budgets are for- mulated in order to better engage with budgets and with budget makers. | https://transfered-docs-lawep.s3.amazonaws.com/thematic1e/rr/1726050737942.pdf | https://rm.coe.int/1680599885 |
While general information is available about the stated processes involved in the annual budg- ets, there is a gap in knowledge about the bureaucratic technicalities of budgets.
A key dimension of budget- making relates to the political decisions taken by govern- ment.
Civil society has a role in trying to influence those decisions so as to better promote gender equality.
Never- theless, when it comes to the day-to-day business of the allocation of resources, more transparency is required. | https://transfered-docs-lawep.s3.amazonaws.com/thematic1e/rr/1726050737942.pdf | https://rm.coe.int/1680599885 |
Just as civil servants can benefit from the gender exper- tise within civil society, closer engagement between civil society and civil servants will yield benefits to all and will help to advance the practice of gender budgeting. | https://transfered-docs-lawep.s3.amazonaws.com/thematic1e/rr/1726050737942.pdf | https://rm.coe.int/1680599885 |
The functions performed by civil society are many and include: articulating the rationale for gender budgeting demonstration of the analytic tools public education initiatives lobbying THE ROLE OF CIVIL SOCIETY Gender budgeting: practical implementation 57 conducting costing exercises training and consultative services to public adminis- trators producing tools and handbooks drafting shadow reports and other monitoring activities. | https://transfered-docs-lawep.s3.amazonaws.com/thematic1e/rr/1726050737942.pdf | https://rm.coe.int/1680599885 |
It is interesting to note the observation made by Sharp and Broomhill with regard to the role of women in the community in the Australian gender budget work dating back to the1980s.
At that time government departments at federal, state and territorial levels, took up the practice of producing a women’s budget statement based on a gender sensitive analysis of government budgets. | https://transfered-docs-lawep.s3.amazonaws.com/thematic1e/rr/1726050737942.pdf | https://rm.coe.int/1680599885 |
These were “inside government” exercises and owed much to their existence and success to the women’s policy machinery, whose formation was informed by the women’s movement and the staff of which included many feminists.
These “femocrats”, as they became known, drove the work of gender budgeting.
However, they may have served to limit the input of women from outside government.
(Sharp and Broomhill, 2002). | https://transfered-docs-lawep.s3.amazonaws.com/thematic1e/rr/1726050737942.pdf | https://rm.coe.int/1680599885 |
(Sharp and Broomhill, 2002).
Expe- rience demonstrates that in order to effect significant change to budgetary allocations, there needs to be politi- cal pressure from outside government to encourage ongoing work inside government.
Working with parliamentarians is a key element of the education and awareness-raising work carried out by civil society groups. | https://transfered-docs-lawep.s3.amazonaws.com/thematic1e/rr/1726050737942.pdf | https://rm.coe.int/1680599885 |
Because of the nature of budgetary processes, where one government department and one government minister is in charge and where decisions are made by a few, parliamentarians, particularly those in opposition, have little input.
They are often very open, therefore, to learn of ways of effectively intervening to challenge decisions, to present new analysis, to ensure transparency and to seek to promote the interests of the public. | https://transfered-docs-lawep.s3.amazonaws.com/thematic1e/rr/1726050737942.pdf | https://rm.coe.int/1680599885 |
Many parliamentarians across Europe – probably in all member states of the European Union – have par- ticipated in seminars and workshops organised and deliv- ered by members of civil society groups.
THE ROLE OF CIVIL SOCIETY Steering Committee for Equality between Women and Men 58 In the following pages, a number of the civil society groups at the forefront of promoting gender budgeting are profiled. | https://transfered-docs-lawep.s3.amazonaws.com/thematic1e/rr/1726050737942.pdf | https://rm.coe.int/1680599885 |
As well as the work they do in their own city or country, all are members of the European Gender Budget Network, which is also profiled.
The profiles are as follows: Austria – Watchgroup: Gender and Public Finance Germany – Federal Gender Budget Initiative (Big- Budget) Spain – La Plataforma Impacto de Género Ya United Kingdom – The UK Women’s Budget Group The European Gender Budget Network. | https://transfered-docs-lawep.s3.amazonaws.com/thematic1e/rr/1726050737942.pdf | https://rm.coe.int/1680599885 |
Austria – Watchgroup: Gender and Public Finance The Austrian civil society group, Watchgroup: Gender and Public Finance began its activities in 2000.
Since then the group has been successful in encouraging NGOs, opposition parties and government to engage with the concept and practice of gender budgeting. | https://transfered-docs-lawep.s3.amazonaws.com/thematic1e/rr/1726050737942.pdf | https://rm.coe.int/1680599885 |
The group published a book in 2002, which gives an over- view of the international experience of gender budget- ing, adapted the concepts to the Austrian context and presented some approaches to engendering the Austrian federal budget, The book included a call on the govern- ment in Austria at all levels – federal, regional and local - to introduce meaningful gender budget initiatives into government policy and proposed ways on how to do it. | https://transfered-docs-lawep.s3.amazonaws.com/thematic1e/rr/1726050737942.pdf | https://rm.coe.int/1680599885 |
It also presented recommendations as to how government policies need to change so as to achieve more gender equality. | https://transfered-docs-lawep.s3.amazonaws.com/thematic1e/rr/1726050737942.pdf | https://rm.coe.int/1680599885 |
The ongoing work of Watchgroup is premised on a number of important tenets: Gender budgeting is much more than a gender analy- sis of revenue The processes associated with budgets demands greater transparency and changes in order to provide for enhanced participation THE ROLE OF CIVIL SOCIETY Gender budgeting: practical implementation 59 The results of analysis should led to alternative poli- cies Analysis should cover the overall macroeconomic strategy Gender budgeting requires the participation of civil society The Austrian federal government decided to introduce gender budgeting in 2004. | https://transfered-docs-lawep.s3.amazonaws.com/thematic1e/rr/1726050737942.pdf | https://rm.coe.int/1680599885 |
In response to what was per- ceived by Watchgroup as a government initiative which was weak on planning and goals and lacking understand- ing and skills, some members of the group offered their expertise and collaborated with government officials.
A more recent decision by the group is to focus more on external lobbying. | https://transfered-docs-lawep.s3.amazonaws.com/thematic1e/rr/1726050737942.pdf | https://rm.coe.int/1680599885 |
Due to strong lobbying of the Watch Group, and a partic- ular window of opportunity, the reform of the budgetary laws in Austria adopted in 2007 includes a provision on Gender Budgeting Effective equality of women and men has been incorporated in the reform at the level of con- stitutional law, both as an objective as well as a funda- mental principle of budgeting.
According to a provision of constitutional law, all levels of government have to strive for the effective equality of women and men. | https://transfered-docs-lawep.s3.amazonaws.com/thematic1e/rr/1726050737942.pdf | https://rm.coe.int/1680599885 |
Lately, the Watch Group has focused again on research work to broaden the basis for Gender Budgeting from a democracy theory as well as an economic theory per- spective.
Germany’s Federal Gender Budget Initiative (BigBudget) The Federal Initiative Gender Budget (BigBudget), which began its work in 2006, is composed of men and women who have worked for some time with Gender Budgeting, both at the theoretical and practical level, as consultants, scientists and political activists. | https://transfered-docs-lawep.s3.amazonaws.com/thematic1e/rr/1726050737942.pdf | https://rm.coe.int/1680599885 |
BigBudget developed out of the “Initiative for a Gender Sensitive Budget in Berlin” and strives for the goal of anchoring the strategy Gender Budgeting on a federal level in Germany. | https://transfered-docs-lawep.s3.amazonaws.com/thematic1e/rr/1726050737942.pdf | https://rm.coe.int/1680599885 |
THE ROLE OF CIVIL SOCIETY Steering Committee for Equality between Women and Men 60 The initiative sees Gender Budgeting as an appropriate and necessary strategy to fulfil the constitutional goal of gender equality as well as the Joint Rules of Procedure for the Federal Government (GGO)* laying down the strategy gender mainstreaming.
The initiative stresses the necessity of gender impact assessments, examining the tax system as well as all revenues (e.g. | https://transfered-docs-lawep.s3.amazonaws.com/thematic1e/rr/1726050737942.pdf | https://rm.coe.int/1680599885 |
out of privatisa- tion) and scrutinising the future direction of fiscal and macro-economic decisions as elements of gender budg- eting.
The main fields of activity are: lobby work (mainly press releases) open letters contributions to shadow reports, and networking with other NGOs.
In the beginning, much of the work was dedicated to push for the publication of the feasibility study on gender budgeting of the German federal government, which was finally issued in October 2007. | https://transfered-docs-lawep.s3.amazonaws.com/thematic1e/rr/1726050737942.pdf | https://rm.coe.int/1680599885 |
Now the main focus has become the goal of implementing the proposed steps of the feasibility study.
Besides that, the initiative actively participates in confer- ences presenting their position on gender budgeting to gain more support and is preparing a book on gender budgeting.
BigBudget is part of a German-wide network of similar groups (see: http://www.gender-budgets.de/) and of the European Gender Budgeting Network. | https://transfered-docs-lawep.s3.amazonaws.com/thematic1e/rr/1726050737942.pdf | https://rm.coe.int/1680599885 |
A recent observation made by the Federal Initiative (as well as the Berlin Initiative) relates to a concern that the work inside government is a largely technical exercise focused on quantitative analysis. | https://transfered-docs-lawep.s3.amazonaws.com/thematic1e/rr/1726050737942.pdf | https://rm.coe.int/1680599885 |
It is felt that it is time to politicise gender budget work, and to find a way to bring in the feminist analysis to underpin the work within gov- * Section 2 of the GGO says that “Equality between men and women is a consistent guiding principle and should be promoted by all political, legislative and administrative actions of the Federal Ministries in their respective areas (gender mainstreaming).” THE ROLE OF CIVIL SOCIETY Gender budgeting: practical implementation 61 ernment. | https://transfered-docs-lawep.s3.amazonaws.com/thematic1e/rr/1726050737942.pdf | https://rm.coe.int/1680599885 |
In addition on the federal level the implemen- tation of gender mainstreaming, which was actively followed by the previous government, has come to a standstill.
The government’s gender equality policy today is being reduced to the field of reconciliation of work and family.
Gender mainstreaming and gender budgeting, as systematic strategies toward the achievement of gender equality – an obligation anchored in the German consti- tution – are not in operation. | https://transfered-docs-lawep.s3.amazonaws.com/thematic1e/rr/1726050737942.pdf | https://rm.coe.int/1680599885 |
La Plataforma Impacto de Género Ya La Plataforma Impacto de Género Ya (Platform for Gender Impact Now), a grouping of feminist and women’s collectives, issue-based associations and regional forums, formed in order to challenge the Spanish government’s failure to publish a Gender Impact Assessment (GIA) of the national budget.
The legal obli- gation to produce a GIA is most strongly articulated in the Gender Impact Assessment Law of 2003 and most recently via the Equality Law of 2007. | https://transfered-docs-lawep.s3.amazonaws.com/thematic1e/rr/1726050737942.pdf | https://rm.coe.int/1680599885 |
The Forum points out that when the Budget was presented to the Spanish national Parliament on 30 September, 2008, this was the fourth year the government failed in its obligation regard- ing the Gender Impact Assessment.
In 2007 La Plataforma Impacto de Género Ya initiated a legal challenge against the government; the challenge was rejected at that time by the public prosecutor but has since been accepted as legally competent by the Audien- cia Nacional. | https://transfered-docs-lawep.s3.amazonaws.com/thematic1e/rr/1726050737942.pdf | https://rm.coe.int/1680599885 |
The issue drew considerable press attention when the Budget was brought to Parliament in 2008.
With respon- sibility for the GIA resting with the Finance Department, discussions in the press referred to contact from the Equality Ministry which resulted in the late publication of the GIA. | https://transfered-docs-lawep.s3.amazonaws.com/thematic1e/rr/1726050737942.pdf | https://rm.coe.int/1680599885 |
Media attention is useful in raising public awareness about the issue, which in turn is useful for bringing public pressure to bear on the government in general and on THE ROLE OF CIVIL SOCIETY Steering Committee for Equality between Women and Men 62 the government department responsible, i.e.
the Finance Department. | https://transfered-docs-lawep.s3.amazonaws.com/thematic1e/rr/1726050737942.pdf | https://rm.coe.int/1680599885 |
the Finance Department.
In addition to using the media to progress its own campaign in favour of gender equitable budgets at the national level in Spain, La Plataforma Impacto de Género Ya employs a range of other means, including e-petitions, a blog, and other online action and “action” letters to strategic members of government and the state machinery.
The Platform has also had a series of meeting with key members of the Spanish national parliament. | https://transfered-docs-lawep.s3.amazonaws.com/thematic1e/rr/1726050737942.pdf | https://rm.coe.int/1680599885 |
Following the late publication of the Equality Impact Assessment, La Plataforma Impacto de Género Ya held a public meeting in late October 2008 to discuss the status of the EIA and to progress the campaign for a gender equal budget.
La Plataforma is keen to give voice to grassroots women’s groups and such groups are part of the membership and were strongly represented at the October meeting. | https://transfered-docs-lawep.s3.amazonaws.com/thematic1e/rr/1726050737942.pdf | https://rm.coe.int/1680599885 |
Ongoing work will focus on lobbying the government to deepen the analysis used to produce the Gender Impact Assessment and for stronger policy debates on those issues of greatest priority to women.
The United Kingdom Women’s Budget Group The United Kingdom Women’s Budget Group (WBG) is one of the best known and most documented civil society groups working in the area of gender budgeting. | https://transfered-docs-lawep.s3.amazonaws.com/thematic1e/rr/1726050737942.pdf | https://rm.coe.int/1680599885 |
Formed in 1989, the WBG brings together feminist econ- omists, researchers, policy experts, trade unionists and activists to work towards a vision of a gender equal society in which women's financial independence gives them greater autonomy at work, home, and in civil soci- ety. | https://transfered-docs-lawep.s3.amazonaws.com/thematic1e/rr/1726050737942.pdf | https://rm.coe.int/1680599885 |
The work of the WBG is informed by the fundamental question, “Where are resources going, and what is their impact on gender equality?” Its activities fall into three broad categories: THE ROLE OF CIVIL SOCIETY Gender budgeting: practical implementation 63 Responding to the annual national Budget and pre- Budget Reports; Encouraging government, especially HM Treasury, (United Kingdom Ministry of Finance) to incorporate gender budgeting into its work; Working with women living in poverty to support their engagement in the decision-making process and bring experiential evidence to bear on policy. | https://transfered-docs-lawep.s3.amazonaws.com/thematic1e/rr/1726050737942.pdf | https://rm.coe.int/1680599885 |
The group’s responses to the national budget have become a hallmark of its work.
Informed and strength- ened by members’ work and research as academics, as well as by their experiences as public policy advocates the responses aim to be rigorous and representative of women’s needs, while at the same time exploiting current political opportunities.
The analysis is a valuable tool to many, both inside and outside government. | https://transfered-docs-lawep.s3.amazonaws.com/thematic1e/rr/1726050737942.pdf | https://rm.coe.int/1680599885 |
Budget day itself, traditionally the one day in the year when a broad spectrum of the United Kingdom popula- tion focuses on macroeconomic policy, has now become an important opportunity to bring a focus on gender equality as a concern for economy policy.
The WBG’s group also works to promote gender analysis within government itself. | https://transfered-docs-lawep.s3.amazonaws.com/thematic1e/rr/1726050737942.pdf | https://rm.coe.int/1680599885 |
Progress in this area includes the move by government to a stronger consultative “evi- dence-based” policy-making process, a Women’s Minister has been appointed and there is now commitment from HM Treasury for regular meetings with both ministers and officials to present and discuss the WBG’s gender analysis of the Budget and Pre-Budget reports.
In general the work of the WBG can be characterised as a gradual awareness- and capacity-building exercise, both inside and outside government. | https://transfered-docs-lawep.s3.amazonaws.com/thematic1e/rr/1726050737942.pdf | https://rm.coe.int/1680599885 |
Building partner- ships and changing the outlook of civil servants and other people in positions of power may not be immediately visible in the budget, but can facilitate later changes.
Such was the case in relation to the WBG persuading HM Treasury to undertake a Gender Analysis of Expenditure THE ROLE OF CIVIL SOCIETY Steering Committee for Equality between Women and Men 64 Project (GAP). | https://transfered-docs-lawep.s3.amazonaws.com/thematic1e/rr/1726050737942.pdf | https://rm.coe.int/1680599885 |
The WBG’s Programme Manager was on part-time secondment to the Treasury as project manager and members of the WBG provided technical assistance.
The GAP project undertook a gender analysis of expendi- ture in the Department of Work and Pensions and the Department for Trade and Industry, bringing a focus on the New Deal Programmes and services for small busi- ness. | https://transfered-docs-lawep.s3.amazonaws.com/thematic1e/rr/1726050737942.pdf | https://rm.coe.int/1680599885 |
The project served as an important means of raising awareness and building capacity within government in relation to the importance of gender analysis of expendi- ture.
Its findings informed the 2004 Spending Review.
An important focus of the ongoing work of the WBG is the public sector duty to promote gender equality and using this piece of legislation to push for stronger use of gender budget analysis. | https://transfered-docs-lawep.s3.amazonaws.com/thematic1e/rr/1726050737942.pdf | https://rm.coe.int/1680599885 |
The European Gender Budget Network The European Gender Budget Network was formed in February 2006 at a seminar in Vienna organised by Watchgroup.
Gender and Public Finance, a civil society group working on gender budgeting in Austria. | https://transfered-docs-lawep.s3.amazonaws.com/thematic1e/rr/1726050737942.pdf | https://rm.coe.int/1680599885 |
The focus of the seminar was to bring together activists and aca- demics, who are involved in outside government initia- tives with a view to strengthening networking and exchange of experience, and to take advantage of the Austrian European Union Presidency and lobby for the integration of gender budgeting within the European Union.
Participants presented details of their work in gender budgeting, highlighting particular approaches, findings and learning. | https://transfered-docs-lawep.s3.amazonaws.com/thematic1e/rr/1726050737942.pdf | https://rm.coe.int/1680599885 |
Following the focus on country experience, the discussion centered on strategies to integrate gender budgeting in mainstream public finance throughout Europe, focusing on gender budgeting as a tool to increase democratisation and participation and to imple- ment gender budgeting as integral part of budgetary pol- icies. | https://transfered-docs-lawep.s3.amazonaws.com/thematic1e/rr/1726050737942.pdf | https://rm.coe.int/1680599885 |
THE ROLE OF CIVIL SOCIETY Gender budgeting: practical implementation 65 An important outcome of this inaugural meeting was the elaboration of a manifesto statement and a call to the European heads of state and governments (as well as the European Commission).
This was used as a tool for lob- bying the officials who attended a conference which was held contiguous with the seminar. | https://transfered-docs-lawep.s3.amazonaws.com/thematic1e/rr/1726050737942.pdf | https://rm.coe.int/1680599885 |
The EGBN seeks to remind the governments of Europe of their commitment to the elimination of gender inequali- ties and the promotion of gender equality and to draw attention to the opportunity of expediting the achieve- ment of these goals through the application of a gender sensitive approach to budgeting making.
The EGBN, through its constituent members, represents a considera- ble body of expertise and experience in this area. | https://transfered-docs-lawep.s3.amazonaws.com/thematic1e/rr/1726050737942.pdf | https://rm.coe.int/1680599885 |
Cogni- sant, therefore, of the prerequisites for a transparent and effective implementation of gender budgeting, the EGBN argues for an enhanced dialogue of public institutions and civil society.
In its specific call to the European Commission the EGBN urges that gender budgeting be prioritised within the work of the Gender Institute and within the implementa- tion of the Gender Road Map. | https://transfered-docs-lawep.s3.amazonaws.com/thematic1e/rr/1726050737942.pdf | https://rm.coe.int/1680599885 |
It wants the commission to launch, fund and co-ordinate studies, the development of tools, and mechanisms for the dissemination of good practice.
The call to member states is to incorporate gender considerations into all its processes, including the Lisbon agenda, and the Integrated Guidelines and to use the open method of co-ordination to promote gender budgeting. | https://transfered-docs-lawep.s3.amazonaws.com/thematic1e/rr/1726050737942.pdf | https://rm.coe.int/1680599885 |
At national level the EGBN urges govern- ments to publish information on how gender is reflected in the budget and to standardise tools of gender budget- ing.
The EGBN made a submission, through the public con- sultation process, to the recent review of the European Union budget, in which it further developed and adapted the demands articulated in its manifesto. | https://transfered-docs-lawep.s3.amazonaws.com/thematic1e/rr/1726050737942.pdf | https://rm.coe.int/1680599885 |
THE ROLE OF CIVIL SOCIETY Steering Committee for Equality between Women and Men 66 Central to its lobbying agenda is a call for the Commis- sion and national governments to support civil society in its work with gender budgeting.
The EGBN believes that the contribution from civil society is vital and that the voice and role of women needs to be promoted and resourced by government. | https://transfered-docs-lawep.s3.amazonaws.com/thematic1e/rr/1726050737942.pdf | https://rm.coe.int/1680599885 |
Steering Committee for Equality between Women and Men 67 Annexes Glossary* Beneficiary assessment The collection and analysis of opinions on how far serv- ices and programmes meet the needs and priorities of target groups.
The information can be gathered in differ- ent ways, for example, through opinion polls, attitude surveys or semi-structured interviews.
Budget A plan for how money will be obtained and spent within a specific time period, or for a specific activity. | https://transfered-docs-lawep.s3.amazonaws.com/thematic1e/rr/1726050737942.pdf | https://rm.coe.int/1680599885 |
Budgetary process Refers to the stages of budget plans.
In principle these stages consist of: Stage 1: Formulation of the budget Stage 2: Approval of the budget Stage 3: Implementation of the budget Stage 4: Evaluation of the budget Budgeting Planning of revenues and expenditures within a certain period, including priority setting. | https://transfered-docs-lawep.s3.amazonaws.com/thematic1e/rr/1726050737942.pdf | https://rm.coe.int/1680599885 |
Civil society Voluntarily organised civilians in non-governmental/non- profit organisations, such as trade unions, women’s organisations, environmental organisations, churches, sports clubs, networks of patients, advocacy groups, youth movements, organisations for development co- operation, pressure groups, consumer organisations, etc.
* Reproduced from Van Beveren, Thera van Osch and Sheila Quinn, 2004, Budgeting for local gender budget initiatives. | https://transfered-docs-lawep.s3.amazonaws.com/thematic1e/rr/1726050737942.pdf | https://rm.coe.int/1680599885 |
Vrouwen Alliantie, Utrecht with the kind permission of the authors.
ANNEXES Steering Committee for Equality between Women and Men 68 Collectively, these entities are [known as] the social capital of society.
Fiscal policies Government policies where tax is used to achieve certain political goals, such as redistribution of income, eco- nomic growth, equality or sustainable development.
Gender Refers to the social differences between men and women. | https://transfered-docs-lawep.s3.amazonaws.com/thematic1e/rr/1726050737942.pdf | https://rm.coe.int/1680599885 |
Gender identifies the socially, culturally, politi- cally and economically determined relations between women and men.
Gender relations vary from place to place and over time; they change in response to altering circumstances.
Sex, by contrast, identifies the biological difference between women and men, which remains a constant. | https://transfered-docs-lawep.s3.amazonaws.com/thematic1e/rr/1726050737942.pdf | https://rm.coe.int/1680599885 |
Gender audit Assessment of the extent to which gender equality is effectively institutionalised in the policies, programmes, organisational structures and proceedings (including decision-making processes) and in the corresponding budgets.
Gender budget analysis The analysis of the impact of (government) expenditure and revenue on the social position an opportunities of men, women, boys and girls, and the social relations between them. | https://transfered-docs-lawep.s3.amazonaws.com/thematic1e/rr/1726050737942.pdf | https://rm.coe.int/1680599885 |
Gender budget analysis helps to decide how policies need to be adjusted to achieve their maximum impact, and where resources need to be real- located to achieve human development and gender equality.
Gender budgeting The application of a gender perspective to financial plans and the budgetary process, by taking into account the needs and priorities of (different groups of) women and men, mindful of the different roles they have in the home, in the workplace and in society. | https://transfered-docs-lawep.s3.amazonaws.com/thematic1e/rr/1726050737942.pdf | https://rm.coe.int/1680599885 |
For the Council of Europe, gender budgeting is “an appli- cation of gender mainstreaming in the budgetary pro- cess.
It means a gender-based assessment of budgets, incorporating a gender perspective at all levels of the ANNEXES Gender budgeting: practical implementation 69 budgetary process and restructuring revenues and expenditures in order to promote gender equality”. | https://transfered-docs-lawep.s3.amazonaws.com/thematic1e/rr/1726050737942.pdf | https://rm.coe.int/1680599885 |
Gender budget initiatives Initiatives focused on examining and analysing budgets to get a picture of the implications for (different groups of) women and men, and to develop strategies toward gender equality.
Gender disaggregation of statistical data Specification of data for women/girls as compared to men/boys.
Breaking down (or disaggregating) social-eco- nomic statistics to show the differences and similarities between (different groups of) women/girls and men/boys. | https://transfered-docs-lawep.s3.amazonaws.com/thematic1e/rr/1726050737942.pdf | https://rm.coe.int/1680599885 |
These data are fundamental for gender budgeting - oth- erwise it is impossible to asses the impact of budgets on gender relations.
Gender equality A situation in which women and men enjoy equal rights and opportunities, in a way that the behaviour, aspira- tions, wishes and needs of women and men are equally valued and favoured.
For the Council of Europe, gender equality means “an equal visibility, empowerment, responsibiliyy and partici- pation of both sexes in all spheres of public and private life. | https://transfered-docs-lawep.s3.amazonaws.com/thematic1e/rr/1726050737942.pdf | https://rm.coe.int/1680599885 |
Gender equality is the opposite of gender inequality, not of gender difference”.
Gender mainstreaming The process of assessing the implications for women and men of any planned action, including legislation, policies or programmes, in any area and at all levels. | https://transfered-docs-lawep.s3.amazonaws.com/thematic1e/rr/1726050737942.pdf | https://rm.coe.int/1680599885 |
Gender mainstreaming is a strategy for making the concerns and experiences of women, as well as those of men, an inte- gral part of the design, implementation, monitoring and evaluation of policies and programmes in all political, economic and societal spheres.
This is done so that women and men can benefit equally, and inequality is not perpetuated.
The ultimate goal of mainstreaming is to achieve gender equality (definition of the United Nations Economic and Social Council – ECOSOC , July 1997). | https://transfered-docs-lawep.s3.amazonaws.com/thematic1e/rr/1726050737942.pdf | https://rm.coe.int/1680599885 |
For the Council of Europe, gender mainstreaming is “the (re)organisation, improvement, development and evalu- ANNEXES Steering Committee for Equality between Women and Men 70 ation of policy processes, so that a gender equality per- spective is incorporated in all policies at all levels and all stages, by the actors normally involved in policy-making”. | https://transfered-docs-lawep.s3.amazonaws.com/thematic1e/rr/1726050737942.pdf | https://rm.coe.int/1680599885 |
Gender perspective The vision that permits one to understand and analyse the characteristics that define women and men in spe- cific ways, including their similarities and differences.
According to the ILO, a gender perspective “is an instru- ment for approaching reality by questioning the power relationships established between men and women, and social relationships in general. | https://transfered-docs-lawep.s3.amazonaws.com/thematic1e/rr/1726050737942.pdf | https://rm.coe.int/1680599885 |
It is a conceptual frame- work, an interpretation methodology and critical analysis instrument that guides decisions, broadens and alters views, and that enables us to reconstruct concepts, scru- tinise attitudes and identify gender-biases and condition- ings, for subsequently considering their revision and modification through dialogue”.
(Cinterfor, 1996) Gender relations Socially and culturally determined relations between men and women. | https://transfered-docs-lawep.s3.amazonaws.com/thematic1e/rr/1726050737942.pdf | https://rm.coe.int/1680599885 |
Government budgets Financial plans for government expenditure and revenue that are based on legislation and regulation, and that have to be approved by democratically-elected repre- sentatives (i.e.
members of parliament). | https://transfered-docs-lawep.s3.amazonaws.com/thematic1e/rr/1726050737942.pdf | https://rm.coe.int/1680599885 |
members of parliament).
Government budgets pursue certain general political goals, such as economic growth, price stability, full employment, just income distribution, social security, compulsory educa- tion to a certain age, access to health provisions, human rights, emancipation, sustainable use of natural resources, housing for everyone, etc.
The political signature of a particular government deter- mines the main priorities during its period in power. | https://transfered-docs-lawep.s3.amazonaws.com/thematic1e/rr/1726050737942.pdf | https://rm.coe.int/1680599885 |
These priorities are specified each year in the annual budget statement.
The annual budget statement is one of the most important documents produced by govern- ment.
It determines how revenues are obtained and spent. | https://transfered-docs-lawep.s3.amazonaws.com/thematic1e/rr/1726050737942.pdf | https://rm.coe.int/1680599885 |
It determines how revenues are obtained and spent.
ANNEXES Gender budgeting: practical implementation 71 Gross domestic product (GDP) The cumulative market value of all final goods and serv- ices produced for money in a country within a given period of time, after deducting the cost of goods and services used in the process of production, but before depreciation. | https://transfered-docs-lawep.s3.amazonaws.com/thematic1e/rr/1726050737942.pdf | https://rm.coe.int/1680599885 |
Intersectional gender approach Social research method in which gender, ethnicity, class, sexuality and other social differences are simultaneously analysed.
NGO Non-governmental organisation that operates on a non- profit basis.
Public revenues The income of the government, which consists mainly of direct tax, indirect tax and social contributions.
Resources Books A Guide to Budget Work for NGOs, The International Budget Project, Washington, DC http:// www.internationalbudget.org/. | https://transfered-docs-lawep.s3.amazonaws.com/thematic1e/rr/1726050737942.pdf | https://rm.coe.int/1680599885 |
Budlender, Debbie, Diane Elson, Guy Hewitt, and Tanni Mukhopadhyay, eds, 2002, Gender budgets make cents: Understanding gender-responsive budgets,Lon- don: Commonwealth Secretariat.
Budlender, Debbie, and Guy Hewitt, eds, 2002, Gender budgets make more cents: Country studies and good practice, London: Commonwealth Secretariat. | https://transfered-docs-lawep.s3.amazonaws.com/thematic1e/rr/1726050737942.pdf | https://rm.coe.int/1680599885 |
Budlender, Debbie, and Rhonda Sharp, with Kerri Allen, 1998, How to do a gender-sensitive budget analy- sis: Contemporary research and analysis, Common- wealth Secretariat and the Australian Agency for International Development.
Budlender, Debbie, and Rhonda Sharp, with Kerri Allen, 1998, How to do a gender-sensitive budget analy- sis: Contemporary research and practice, Common- wealth Secretariat. | https://transfered-docs-lawep.s3.amazonaws.com/thematic1e/rr/1726050737942.pdf | https://rm.coe.int/1680599885 |
Isabella Bakker, 2002, Fiscal policy, accountability and voice: the example of gender responsive budget initiatives, UNDP Human Development Report.
ANNEXES Steering Committee for Equality between Women and Men 72 Websites BRIDGE supports gender advocacy and mainstreaming efforts of policymakers and practitioners by bridging the gaps between theory, policy and practice with accessible and diverse gender information. | https://transfered-docs-lawep.s3.amazonaws.com/thematic1e/rr/1726050737942.pdf | https://rm.coe.int/1680599885 |
BRIDGE was set up in 1992 as a specialised gender and development research and information service within the Institute of Develop- ment Studies (IDS), United Kingdom.
BRIDGE’S Cutting Edge Packs provide accessible over- views of the latest thinking on a gender theme and sum- maries of the most useful resources.
Each pack includes an Overview Report, a Supporting Resources Collection. | https://transfered-docs-lawep.s3.amazonaws.com/thematic1e/rr/1726050737942.pdf | https://rm.coe.int/1680599885 |