Conference Report – Community of Practice Conference in Skopje

The community of practice, focused on the theme “Gender-Responsive Budgeting: Between Desired and Successful Practices of Redistribution of Public Finances at Local, National, and Regional Levels for the Needs of Women and Men” Was organized on May 30-31, 2024 at AUE-FON University in Skopje. The community of practice was organized as a closing event under the project “Through gender lenses: appraising budgets and policies, watchdogging local action plans for gender equality implementation” funded by the European Union and with support of the Gender Budget Watchdog Network, co-funded by ADA and SIDA.

Objectives of the Community of Practice:

• To examine and analyse effective gender-responsive budgeting (GRB) practices through case studies at the national level, fostering a deeper understanding of successful strategies.
• To highlight and share successful implementations of GRB at the local level to showcase practical applications and inspire replication in other communities.
• To assess the impact and effectiveness of GRB initiatives and gender audits, emphasizing the importance of evaluation in enhancing these practices.
• To identify common challenges faced in the implementation of GRB and collaboratively propose practical solutions to overcome these obstacles.
• To explore and promote innovative methodologies, tools, and technologies for advancing GRB practices, encouraging creativity and modernization in the field.

These objectives aim to build a comprehensive understanding of GRB practices, address implementation challenges, and promote innovative solutions and best practices.

The Gender Budget Watchdog Network, a network of around 100 civil society organizations (CSOs) in the Western Balkans and Moldova, brought together more than 70 professionals, academics and activists from 15 countries at the GRB community of practice. The community of practice’s program was developed through a call for papers. In total, we have received 16 abstracts and 1 workshop proposal, showcasing a diverse range of topics and insights.

The event commenced with an opening session featuring remarks from Mrs. Irena Ivanova, Gender Focal Point of the Delegation of the European Union, and Mr. David Muckenhuber, Counsellor and Head of Office at the Embassy of the Federal Republic of Austria. The keynote speech was delivered by Angela O’Hagen, a distinguished scholar in international development, who provided an insightful overview of global trends in gender-responsive budgeting (GRB). O’Hagen highlighted the potential of GRB to promote gender equality by incorporating a gender perspective into fiscal policies and budget processes. She discussed practices in G20 countries, noting that while all G20 nations have adopted gender-focused fiscal policies, the tools for operationalizing these policies within public financial

management systems remain underdeveloped. The average level of GRB practice in G20 countries is relatively low, with more progress observed in establishing frameworks and budget preparation tools than in budget execution, monitoring, and auditing.

The session also addressed concerns regarding the dilution of the focus on gender equality. Gender budgeting and gender budget analysis are recognized as feminist approaches to policy-making that seek transformative change. This involves reshaping structures, processes, attitudes, and institutional practices that perpetuate persistent disadvantages and unequal outcomes for women. Participants were cautioned about the potential dilution and evaporation of the focus on gender equality, particularly in contexts where institutional efficiency is prioritized over the political and social goals of dismantling the causes of women’s economic, political, and social inequality. The importance of ensuring that gender budgeting does not merely become a process of tagging and naming expenditures, but rather a strategic and integral part of resource allocation decisions, was emphasized. The discussions underscored the need for both pre-emptive impact assessments of policies on gender and ex-post evaluations of the effectiveness of policies and programs to achieve genuine gender equality outcomes.

The first day of the forum kicked off with engaging panels and a workshop focused on gender-responsive budgeting (GRB) practices at both national and local levels. The “National Strategies” panel, moderated by Angela O’Hagen from GCU, UK, delved into case studies and analyses of effective GRB practices across various countries. Jennifer Curtin opened the session with her presentation on the fluctuations and efforts to secure stability in bringing GRB to Aotearoa New Zealand. Elirjeta Beka followed with a discussion on enhancing equality through progressive gender-responsive taxation policies in Kosovo. Mary Pyrgos shared insights from Cyprus, highlighting the achievements and challenges faced by the Auditor General’s Office in implementing gender budgeting. Merita Poni concluded the panel with an exploration of GRB as a tool for promoting gender equality in Albania.

The subsequent “Local Initiatives” panel, chaired by Gloria Alarcón-García from UM ESP, showcased successful GRB implementations at the local level. Aurélie Arquier and Claudy Vouhe presented their collective experiences via Zoom, detailing the opportunities and lessons learned from GRB initiatives in France. Pablo Martínez Rico and Irene Bajo, and shared a real-world example of collaborative knowledge transfer between the University of Alicante and the Municipality of Novelda, facilitated through the European Project BUDGET-IT. Ljupka Trajanovska discussed the transition from policy to practice in implementing GRB to transform local priorities in the municipalities Tearce, Chair and Radovish. The day concluded with a practical workshop on local initiatives in GRB, moderated by Elizabeth Hind and Samah Krirchah from the UK Women’s Budget Group (WBG). This workshop provided participants with hands-on experience and insights into effective GRB strategies at the local level, fostering a collaborative environment for sharing best practices and innovative approaches.

The second day of the forum continued with insightful panels that delved into various aspects of gender-responsive budgeting (GRB). The day began with the “Evaluation and Impact Assessment” panel, moderated by Ana Marija Sikirić Simčić from UR CRO. This session focused on assessing the effectiveness of GRB initiatives and gender audits. Liljana Jonoski opened the discussion by evaluating the impact of GRB in local communities, emphasizing the strides toward gender justice. Marija Risteska and Ivana Petriskova followed with a compelling case study from the Western Balkans and Moldova, highlighting the crucial role of civil society in holding governments accountable using GRB tools. Elena Kochoska concluded the panel by presenting a monitoring impact report, which appraised budgets and policies through a gender lens and scrutinized local action plans for gender equality implementation.

The “Challenges and Solutions” panel, moderated by Marija Risteska from SEEU MK, addressed the hurdles faced in implementing GRB and proposed viable solutions. Ana Marija Sikirić Simčić, Maja Grdinić, and Petra Sinovčić presented a candid analysis of why gender-responsive budgeting has yet to be fully adopted in Croatia, identifying key obstacles and areas for improvement. Daniela Collesi provided insights from Italy’s experience with state-level GRB implementation, offering practical suggestions and ideas based on their journey. The panelists’ discussions highlighted common challenges and showcased potential strategies to overcome these barriers, fostering a collaborative atmosphere for problem-solving. The day concluded with the “Innovative Approaches” panel, which explored cutting-edge methodologies, tools, and technologies for advancing GRB. Gloria Alarcón-García discussed the impact of everyday life infrastructure on subjective well-being in the European Union from a gender perspective, shedding light on the nuanced ways infrastructure affects gender equality. Gulay Gunluk-Senesen, joining via Zoom, introduced innovative ideas for incorporating investment expenditures into GRB frameworks, representing a significant step forward. Finally, Mersiha Jaskic and Alexandru Gribincea highlighted the EU’s external financing efforts, examining how these funds can better deliver on gender equality commitments. The panel underscored the importance of innovation in GRB, encouraging participants to embrace new approaches to enhance gender equality outcomes.