“What if we strengthened women’s financial empowerment by having a focus on gender-sensitive budgeting?”
8 avril 2023
Gender-responsive budgeting allows a public actor to shape his public policies with the objective of equal opportunities between women and men. It is a question for the governments to take into account for each budget or finance law the effects of the policies which are budgeted there on gender equality. This can go through ex ante impact studies, or through the ex post evaluation of public policies.
This type of budgeting involves, for example, the creation of a service within the Ministry of Finance which ensures that the expenditure programs of the ministries comply with the policy of reducing gender inequalities.
This requires data collection and analysis in order to guide public action in the fight against inequalities.
The annual gender-sensitive budgeting reports make it possible to assess the room for maneuver and the degree of success of the government in achieving the equality objectives it has set itself.
Austria, for example, lists its objectives in several categories, including ” ensure a better distribution of paid work », « ensure that women re-enter the labor market more widely after a career break », « strengthen the skills of women in the entrepreneurial sector », « improving equal opportunities in education “. Each of these objectives is supported by a dedicated ministry (Finance, Labour, Economy, Education).
The IMF particularly recommends the implementation of such budgeting in developing countries, in order to support socially inclusive development.
Gwenaëlle SIMBI, wife MARAT ABYLA,
President of the NGO FinanceSolid