Forum calls for mainstreaming of gender equality into fiscal policies

AN international conference on gender equality has urged that public service systems should mainstream gender equality into fiscal policies and operations through applying gender analysis to plans and budgets.

This, they referred to as Gender responsive Budgeting. According to Katherine Gifford, from UN Women, the overall purpose of GRB is to mainstream gender equality into fiscal policies and opera- tions through applying gender analysis to plans and budgets.

She noted the aim is for stepped up and well-targeted allocations to address women’s priorities and needs.

“A gender responsive bud- get recognises intersection be- tween budget policies and well being of women and girls,” she said, adding that it does not mean a separate budget for women or men but brings gender into policies, plans, programmes and budgets of all government agencies.

Ms Gifford noted that such budgeting is about budgeting that intentionally directs re- sources and raises revenue to address gender gaps.

“It supports women’s active participation in planning and budgeting processes, ministries of finance  issue guidelines/directives for incorporating gender into budgets; develop gender reports or statements annexed to budget; track allocations to gender equality, ministries of planning support integration of gender in national development plans; contribute to alignment between national action plans on gender equality and parlia- ments create space for dialogue with women groups; raise gender issues during budget discus- sions,” she said.

She called for a need for strong gender responsive policy and legal frameworks, investment in gender analysis capacity, availability and access to sex-disaggregated data and government transparency on investments to gender equality and women empowerment.

She said there should be development and implementa- tion of monitoring systems to track performance and space for national women’s machineries and civil society to play an ac- tive role in GRB advocacy and accountability.

However, delegates identi- fied challenges such as lack of data availability and transparency issues include lack of sex- disaggregated data, limitations in data accessibility and reality of competing government agen- das and pressures, including fiscal reform, economic perfor- mance demands, and external pressures/requirements.

As a result, she called for effective partnership between gender advocates and ministries of finance assumes environment of good governance and participation of citizens Target 5 of Sustainable Development Goals calls on Member States to adopt and strengthen sound policies and enforceable legislation for the promotion of gender equality and the empowerment of all women and girls at all levels.

This is the only indicator in the SDG monitoring framework that links national budgeting systems with implementation of legislation and policies for gender equality and women empowerment.


The three day conference had been organised by Uongozi Institute, International Monetary Fund and UN Women.