Invest in What Matters for People! This was a recurring theme at the international conference on “Gender Budgeting in the New EU Multiannual Financial Framework” held in Nicosia under the patronage of the Cyprus Presidency of the Council of the EU this week. Participants highlighted concerns that proposals for the next EU long-term budget risk sidelining gender equality and social priorities. EU funding priorities related to competitiveness and security undermine social and gender equality objectives.

The main conference outcome is the Nicosia Declaration, calling on EU institutions to prioritise funding for gender equality, women’s rights, care and social priorities, include explicit gender equality objectives in EU funding programmes, and integrate gender equality across all stages of the EU budget cycle.

Academics, experts, policymakers and activists are launching a petition calling on EU institutions and national governments to ensure the next EU budget works for gender equality and people’s wellbeing! Sign the petition here! https://form.jotform.com/260853624523356

ALB

Investoni në atë që ka rëndësi për njerëzit! Kjo ishte një temë që u rikthye shpesh në konferencën ndërkombëtare mbi “Buxhetimin e përgjegjshëm gjinor në Kornizën e Re Financiare Afatgjatetë BE-së”, e zhvilluar këtë javë në Nikozia, nën patronazhin e Presidencës së Qipros në Këshillin e BE-së. Pjesëmarrësit shprehën shqetësimin se propozimet për buxhetin e ardhshëm afatgjatë të BE-së mund të lënë mënjanë barazinë gjinore dhe prioritetet sociale. Prioritetet e financimit të BE-së që fokusohen te konkurrenca dhe siguria rrezikojnë të dobësojnë objektivat sociale dhe ato për barazinë gjinore.

Rezultati kryesor i konferencës është Deklarata e Nikozisë, e cila i bën thirrje institucioneve të BE-së të japin prioritet financimit për barazinë gjinore, të drejtat e grave, kujdesin dhe prioritetet sociale, të përfshijnë objektiva të qarta për barazinë gjinore në programet e financimit të BE-së dhe të integrojnë barazinë gjinore në të gjitha fazat e ciklit të buxhetit të BE-së.

Akademikë, ekspertë, politikanë dhe aktivistë po nisin një peticion që i bën thirrje institucioneve të BE-së dhe qeverive kombëtare të sigurojnë që buxheti i ardhshëm i BE-së t’i shërbejë barazisë gjinore dhe mirëqenies së njerëzve. Nënshkruani peticionin këtu! https://form.jotform.com/260853624523356

BHSC

Uložite u ono što je važno za ljude! Ovo je bila glavna tema međunarodne konferencije „Rodno odgovorno budžetiranje u novom višegodišnjem finansijskom okviru EU“, održane ove nedelje u Nikoziji pod pokroviteljstvom Kiparskog predsedavanja Savetom EU. Učesnici su izrazili zabrinutost da predlozi za sledeći dugoročni budžet EU mogu marginalizovati rodnu ravnopravnost i društvene prioritete. Prioriteti EU finansiranja koji se fokusiraju na konkurentnost i bezbednost mogu potkopati ciljeve socijalne i rodne ravnopravnosti.

Glavni rezultat konferencije je Nikozijska deklaracija, kojom se institucije EU pozivaju da prioritet daju finansiranju rodne ravnopravnosti, prava žena, brige i društvenih prioriteta, da u svoje programe finansiranja uključe jasne ciljeve rodne ravnopravnosti i da rodnu ravnopravnost integrišu u sve faze budžetskog ciklusa EU.

Akademici, stručnjaci, kreatori politika i aktivisti pokreću peticiju kojom pozivaju institucije EU i nacionalne vlade da osiguraju da sledeći budžet EU doprinosi rodnoj ravnopravnosti i dobrobiti ljudi. Potpišite peticiju ovde! https://form.jotform.com/260853624523356

ROM

„Investește în ceea ce contează pentru oameni!” – acesta a fost un mesaj recurent la conferința internațională „Bugetarea de gen în noul Cadru Financiar Multianual al UE”, desfășurată la Nicosia, sub patronajul Președinției Ciprului a Consiliului Uniunii Europene, în această săptămână. Participanții au evidențiat îngrijorări că propunerile pentru următorul buget pe termen lung al UE riscă să marginalizeze egalitatea de gen și prioritățile sociale. Prioritățile de finanțare ale UE legate de competitivitate și securitate subminează obiectivele sociale și de egalitate de gen.

Principalul rezultat al conferinței este Declarația de la Nicosia, care solicită instituțiilor UE să acorde prioritate finanțării pentru egalitatea de gen, drepturile femeilor, îngrijire și priorități sociale, să includă obiective explicite privind egalitatea de gen în programele de finanțare ale UE și să integreze egalitatea de gen în toate etapele ciclului bugetar al UE.

Cadre universitare, experți, factori de decizie și activiști lansează o petiție prin care solicită instituțiilor UE și guvernelor naționale să asigure că viitorul buget al UE servește egalității de gen și bunăstării oamenilor. Semnați petiția aici! https://form.jotform.com/260853624523356

MKD

Инвестирајте во она што е важно за луѓето! Ова беше централна тема на меѓународната конференција „Политики на родово одговорно буџетирање во новата повеќегодишна финансиска рамка на ЕУ“, одржана оваа недела во Никозија под покровителство на Претседателството на Советот на ЕУ од Кипар. Учесниците изразија загриженост дека предлозите за следниот долгогодишен буџет на ЕУ ризикуваат да ја занемарат родовата еднаквост и социјалните приоритети. Приоритетите на ЕУ поврзани со конкурентноста и безбедноста ја поткопуваат целта за социјална и родова еднаквост.

Главниот исход на конференцијата е Никозиската Декларација, која ги повикува институциите на ЕУ да го приоритизираат финансирањето за родова еднаквост, правата на жените, грижа и социјални приоритети, да вклучат јасни цели за родова еднаквост во програмите за финансирање на ЕУ и да ја интегрираат родовата еднаквост на сите фази од буџетскиот циклус на ЕУ.

Академици, експерти, креатори на политики и активисти покренуваат петиција со која ги повикуваат институциите на ЕУ и националните влади да обезбедат следниот буџет на ЕУ да работи за родова еднаквост идобросостојба на луѓето! Потпишете ја петицијата ТУКА! https://form.jotform.com/260853624523356

Organized by the International Budget Partnership (IBP) and funded by the European Commission, the three-day event brought together a diverse community of actors committed to one shared goal: advancing transparent, participatory, and accountable public finances across the region.

A Space for Reflection, Learning, and Collaboration

The first two days of the convening created a dynamic and open space for reflection and exchange among civil society partners and institutional stakeholders. As the current phase of the BABA initiative approaches its conclusion, the gathering offered a chance to assess nearly three years of collaboration and impact. Participants explored key questions shaping the region’s budget accountability ecosystem:

• What progress has been achieved in strengthening transparency and participation?
• Which partnerships and approaches have enabled change?
• What challenges continue to limit meaningful engagement?

Through interactive sessions, participants moved between roles as learners, contributors, and co-creators—sharing country-level experiences while jointly identifying practical strategies for future action. Discussions highlighted the importance of strong collaboration between civil society and public institutions, capacity-building for effective fiscal analysis and advocacy and linking budget work more directly to people’s lived experiences. While progress was acknowledged, participants also recognized that engagement across stakeholders remains fragmented and that more effort is needed to translate technical gains into tangible outcomes. Structured as a collective learning journey, the convening guided participants from reflection toward forward-looking action.

Key themes included:

• The role of relationships and trust in enabling reform;
• The importance of adaptable strategies in complex political environments;
• The need to strengthen a shared narrative around the value of budget accountability.

By the end of the two days, participants identified common regional priorities, distilled lessons learned, and outlined concrete next steps for continued collaboration.

OBS 2025 Regional Launch: From Compliance to Credibility

Building on this momentum, the third day marked a major regional milestone—the official launch of the Open Budget Survey 2025.

Under the theme “From Compliance to Credibility: Strengthening Budget Accountability in the Western Balkans and Türkiye,” the event brought together a broader audience of government officials, civil society organisations, audit institutions, and EU representatives to engage with the latest findings.

The OBS first launched in 2006 remains the world’s only independent, comparative tool measuring:

• Budget transparency
• Public participation
• Oversight

The 2025 results highlighted a critical insight: while countries in the region have made progress in meeting formal transparency standards, significant gaps remain in ensuring that these efforts translate into real accountability and public trust. The launch event moved beyond presenting findings to fostering meaningful dialogue on reform priorities.

Three key discussions shaped the day:

• Transparency Gains and Their Limits
  Participants reflected on whether improvements in transparency are leading to substantive change, emphasizing that compliance alone is not enough.
• Why Accountability Gaps Matter Now
  With increasing fiscal pressures and growing public expectations, speakers highlighted the real-world implications of weak oversight and limited participation.
• Pathways to Building Trust
  The final discussions focused on practical steps to move from measurement to implementation—transforming evidence into credible, lasting reforms.

Across all sessions, a shared message emerged: data must be paired with action. Strengthening accountability requires not only technical tools, but also political will, institutional cooperation, and active civic engagement.

Representatives from the Center for Research and Policy Making (CRPM), Ivana Petrisková and Liljana Tanevska Arsova, participated in the convening and OBS launch as part of the Gender Budget Watchdog Network. Their engagement emphasized the importance of integrating gender-responsive perspectives into budget accountability efforts and ensuring that public finance decisions reflect the diverse needs of all citizens. The event also provided an opportunity to strengthen regional partnerships, exchange experiences, and contribute to shaping the next phase of collaboration.

The project aims to send a message of support to people with disabilities and increase society’s awareness of the importance of equality and togetherness. NGO Mozaik is the main initiator of ideas this time as well.

“So we decided to refine this space a bit, we chose bright, beautiful colors and nice messages and symbols. This is the second mural we are doing, and in 2024 we started all that avalanche. Like Frida Kahlo’s mural , we are sending a nice message that we are here and that we are visible. Ladies are the main driving force today and that is the point of the whole story,” said Blagoje Šturanović , director of NGO Mozaik.

Like Frida Kahlo’s mural on building 10, this one is also designed to enhance the space and send a nice message.

“On the artistic side, I am helping and I am part of the team working on this mural with Irena Rašović and Zdenko Tomanović , and Lara is also there to help us. The whole concept is related to the project itself and we wanted the entire mural to fit into the environment and look a little like that cubist style,” said academic painter Milena Krivokapić .

Advisor to the President of Nikšić Municipality, Vojin Striković , says that the problems of people with disabilities are always approached with special attention, and that such actions will become a practice, all in the spirit of the fact that Nikšić is the European Capital of Culture in 2030.

“As part of the urban culture festival that we are conducting as a municipality and is part of the Nikšić Capital of Culture 2030 application form, we can consider this as an introduction to the festival that will be held this year in different locations of the Municipality of Nikšić. With the engagement of artists from Nikšić and all of Montenegro, we will create murals and hopefully become a real open-air gallery,” said Striković.

The facades of buildings in our city, at least those that have been the target of vandals for decades, are getting a nice look more and more often, mostly thanks to art lovers who breathe new life into them through colorful drawings.

Text from: https://rtnk.me/drustvo/video-u-niksicu-novi-mural-podrske-osobama-sa-invaliditetom/

Milojko Cukovic

Photo/video: RTNK

The European Gender Budgeting Network in collaboration with the Cyprus Gender Budgeting Platform & the Foundation FIMONOI is organizing European Gender Budgeting Conference: Gender Budgeting in the New EU Multiannual FinancialFramework: Making Budgets work for Gender Equality and Women’s Human Rights in Europe, which will take place οn the 26th and 27th March 2026 at the University of Cyprus, Aglantjia at Auditorium Β108, Anastasios Leventis Council & Senate Building.

Gender Budget Watchdog Network is one of the co-organizers of this conference, which aims at:

• contributing to building solid foundations for the next EU budget (MFF 2028-2034) to promote gender equality, women’s rights, peace and social investments,
• sharing perspectives with European institutions, especially co-legislators, on how to strengthen the legislative proposals in the negotiation process in order to strengthen investments in what matters for people in Europe,
• fostering inclusive cooperation with civil society and global partners to effectively contribute to the negotiation process,
• discussing the way forward for the European Gender Budgeting Network and building partnerships and joint advocacy strategies.

CONFERENCE PROGRAM AND REGISTRATION

The Center for Research and Policy Making (CRPM) was represented by Dr. Marija Risteska, who contributed to the discussions by presenting CRPM’s work on gender-responsive disaster risk reduction (DRR) and the Gender Budget Watchdog’s Network (GBWN) approach to sustainable transport and climate financing.

Gender, Transport, and Climate Finance as Accelerators of SDG 11

In her intervention, Dr. Risteska highlighted the work of the Gender Budget Watchdog’s Network (GBWN) on advancing gender-responsive transport systems and improving women’s access to climate finance for sustainable mobility. She emphasized that transport is not gender-neutral and that mobility systems shape women’s access to employment, education, health services, and public participation.

Drawing on GBWN’s analytical and advocacy work, the presentation underscored the importance of:

• integrating gender considerations into urban and transport planning;
• aligning transport investments with climate mitigation and adaptation goals;
• ensuring women’s meaningful participation in decision-making related to climate finance and infrastructure.

These perspectives directly contribute to SDG 11.2, which calls for safe, affordable, accessible, and sustainable transport systems for all, with special attention to women and other groups in vulnerable situations.

CRPM’s Gender Mainstreaming in Disaster Risk Reduction

Dr. Risteska also presented CRPM’s extensive experience in gender mainstreaming in disaster risk reduction, with a focus on work conducted in Macedonia, particularly in flood-prone regions. The presentation showcased CRPM’s methodological guidance for integrating gender perspectives into DRR planning, policies, and budgets, developed in cooperation with local governments and international partners.

Key elements of CRPM’s approach include:

• gender analysis of disaster risks and vulnerabilities;
• collection and use of sex- and age-disaggregated data;
• strengthening women’s participation in local DRR decision-making structures;
• integrating gender-responsive measures into flood risk management plans, protection and rescue plans, and crisis response frameworks.

This work responds directly to SDG 11.5 and 11.b, as well as to the Sendai Framework for Disaster Risk Reduction, by addressing the disproportionate impact of disasters on women and other vulnerable groups and by promoting inclusive, risk-informed governance.

Linking Local Practice to Global Policy

A key message from CRPM’s contribution was the need to better connect local-level practice with global SDG monitoring and policy processes. The Nairobi workshop emphasized that progress on SDG 11 remains uneven and insufficient, particularly for marginalized urban populations, and that achieving the goal by 2030 requires integrated, gender-responsive, and evidence-based approaches.

CRPM’s experience demonstrates how gender equality can act as a multiplier for urban resilience, climate action, and social inclusion—moving beyond standalone gender interventions toward systemic change in urban governance.

Looking Ahead to HLPF 2026

The insights shared during the workshop will inform the thematic review of SDG 11 at the 2026 High-Level Political Forum, including future collaborations, policy recommendations, and good practice examples. CRPM’s engagement reaffirmed the essential role of civil society and research organizations in shaping inclusive urban policies and ensuring that gender equality remains central to sustainable development.

As cities face intensifying climate risks, social inequalities, and infrastructure pressures, CRPM will continue to advocate for gender-responsive urban transformation, linking transport, climate finance, and disaster risk reduction to deliver tangible results for women and communities.

What took place in Nairobi? 

On 19 January 2025, a Memorandum of Cooperation between CCGD Kenya and GBWN was signed. This is an important step as it connects experience and energy across contexts, Kenya’s strong, locally rooted practice and GBWN’s wider network approach. It’s also a shared position: policy reform without funding is just a promise on paper. CCGD has been around for decades, and the Kenyan Budget Network has built something valuable: a broad base of civil society, experts, and researchers who can look at budgets and talk about them in plain language. That kind of work changes the conversation. Budgets stop being “for technocrats and bureaucrats only” and start being something communities can question, especially at community level, where services are felt directly. 

What does GBWN bring, and why does that have global weight? 

GBWN’s impact is simple: it helps turn GRB from an isolated exercise into a shared practice across places. GRB approaches are replicable across regions, and the GBWN strategy of regionally working on research, evidence-based analysis and advocacy, the GBWN methods can be exported in East Africa. Our methodologies for resilience and climate change financing monitoring using GRB tools are very relevant and needed to be transferred in Africa where climate change is most visible. Together with CSOs from EAC, we can create a bigger global impact and facilitate SDG implementation beyond the Western Balkans. When networks like ours, from different countries, compare notes, they raise the standard. And that helps everyone push for fairer spending and real accountability. 

Why does this matter now? 

Public budgets are under pressure everywhere: rising costs, aging populations, growing care needs, climate shocks, and tightening fiscal space. In moments like this, the risk is that equality becomes “nice to have” and gets quietly dropped. GRB pushes back against that. It says: show the choices and the equality results. It also strengthens trust. People don’t lose faith because policy documents are missing; they lose faith when policies do not deliver because they have bad design or are poorly funded. This Memorandum of Cooperation provides framework for working together by utilizing knowledge exchange, technical cooperation, and having joint initiatives for improved policy designs, policy reforms and budgets that deliver for women and men. 

The group discussions at the GBWN Annual Meeting highlighted a strong convergence around the need to deepen GBWN’s role as a regional watchdog, knowledge hub, and advocacy actor, while diversifying thematic focus and strengthening financial sustainability.

Across all groups, participants emphasized that advocacy must operate simultaneously at global, regional, national, and local levels. EU institutions, UN agencies, and international donors remain key agenda-setters, but local governments and municipalities were identified as the most accessible and impactful entry points for gender-responsive budgeting (GRB) and climate finance advocacy. Municipal budget cycles, local development plans, resilience strategies, and Gender Action Plans provide concrete opportunities where CSOs can exert “watchdog pressure” and influence real allocations. At national level, advocacy remains more challenging due to limited transparency and selective consultation practices, underscoring the importance of coordinated, evidence-based pressure.

Participants agreed that GBWN’s strongest comparative advantage lies in its evidence-based reporting, GRB expertise, and credibility with institutions. Gender-responsive data, combined with human stories from women, rural communities, persons with disabilities, and women entrepreneurs, were seen as the most persuasive advocacy tools. Framing gender equality as a solution that improves efficiency, resilience, and public spending outcomes—rather than as an obligation—was consistently identified as the most effective messaging approach. Regional alignment around core advocacy messages is feasible, while national advocacy requires tailored framing based on political context, dominant climate risks, and sectoral priorities.

In terms of future thematic priorities, members highlighted the importance of expanding beyond climate finance to include:

• Domestic resource mobilization and budget accountability,
• Green jobs, circular economy, and agriculture subsidies,
• Gender and disability rights, with a focus on access to institutions and services,
• Women’s ecological entrepreneurship, access to finance, and resilience of women-led companies,
• Financial literacy and women’s entrepreneurship finance initiatives,
• Social enterprises and their institutionalization,
• Transport sector follow-up advocacy,
• GRB monitoring of national Growth Plans and EU-funded reforms,
• Crisis management from a gender perspective,
• Interregional cooperation and resource mapping,

Strong emphasis was placed on strengthening collective watchdog coordination. While informal cooperation and the small-grant scheme have worked well, participants called for clearer role division, thematic working groups, structured follow-up advocacy, and stronger national-level visibility. The watchdog role should be more explicitly articulated and consistently communicated as a core function of GBWN.

Reflections on resources and sustainability underlined the need to diversify funding sources and move beyond project-based dependency. Potential resources identified include:

• Co-financing from ministries, municipalities, and embassies
• Partnerships with municipalities (space, logistical support, joint projects)
• EU funding instruments (IPA, Interreg, thematic EU grants)
• Large foundations and regional donors
• Private sector cooperation, including companies with regional markets
• Event co-funding (local businesses, shops, supermarkets)
• Banks and ethical investment channels
• Solidarity funds within the network
• Expertise monetization (training, advisory services, research)
• Differentiated membership contributions based on organizational size
• Subscription-based platforms and shared products/marketplace

Overall, the discussions confirmed a shared vision of GBWN as a regional centre of excellence and coordinated watchdog network, capable of aligning advocacy, strengthening accountability, mobilizing diverse resources, and responding to emerging gender, climate, and socio-economic challenges in a strategic and sustainable way.

From the very first day, discussions were driven by some of the region’s most committed voices advancing gender-responsive public finance. Government representatives, gender-equality practitioners, academics, and civil society leaders exchanged evidence-based insights on how civil society can strengthen accountability and transparency in public spending, and how GRB can serve as a transformative tool for equity, sustainability, and good governance. A clear message emerged: smart, evidence-based public finance is not a choice — it is an obligation.

The second day deepened the conversation, showcasing how gender-responsive tools can improve climate finance monitoring and support more just and inclusive futures. Panels explored feminist urbanism and its role in building sustainable communities, the mobilization of private capital for social and environmental impact, and the importance of embedding gender perspectives across financial and policy frameworks. Moldova stood out as a leading example, having successfully integrated gender indicators into more than 70% of its agricultural programs as a major achievement in institutionalizing GRB.

Discussions on mobility highlighted another critical dimension of inequality. The panel on transport poverty revealed how women, youth, rural communities, and persons with disabilities continue to face unsafe environments, unreliable public transport, and inaccessible infrastructure. Despite significant investments, many mobility strategies remain gender-blind. Participants emphasized that GRB offers a practical pathway to design safer, more accessible, and more equitable transport systems that respond to real-life needs.

Throughout the GRB Forum, participants were invited to look ahead and reflect on a shared question: What would our region look like 15 years from now if justice and true gender equality guided every decision we make? The vision that emerged was one of communities free from pollution, where women confidently lead as decision-makers, engineers, scientists, and innovators shaping the green transition.

By opening an honest dialogue on the layered barriers women face in green jobs, climate finance, and environmental governance, the GRB Forum reaffirmed the transformative potential of GRB. “Going Glocal 2.0” not only connected sectors and countries, but it strengthened a collective commitment to ensure that public finances work for people, planet, and equality.

GRB FORUM – SUMMARY REPORT

Going Glocal 2.0: Sustainable Gender-Responsive Futures

On behalf of GBWN and EGBN, Nicole Farnsworth, Deputy Director and Lead Researcher at the Kosovo Women’s Network (KWN), joined other EGBN members in Brussels last week to coordinate advocacy efforts with other civil society organisations (CSOs) and coalitions. They met with members of the European Parliament Alexandra Geese, Tomas Waitz and Ilhan Kyuchyuk, seeking their support in gender mainstreaming the EU budget.

Farnsworth also met with EC representatives regarding the Western Balkan (WB) Enlargement Package, asking for gender-responsive budgeting to be implemented as part of Reform Agendas across the WB, including in the EC’s direct budget support to governments. This would be in line with commitments to accountability and the rule of law, given WB governments’ commitments to implementing gender-responsive budgeting as part of the Sustainable Development Goals, among other legal commitments.

On 4 December, Nicole attended the annual WB Summit hosted by Friends of Europe. During discussions on economic growth, she emphasized that growth cannot happen without women; women’s labour force participation is low throughout the WB. “If we really want to see growth, we need to get women [in the labour force]”, said Farnsworth. She called for integrating gender-responsive budgeting in all EU investments, towards addressing root causes of low labour force participation. Research evidences that this includes transforming unpaid labour into paid labour by tackling informality, establishing care services, and improving transportation, as GBWN research shows.

Farnsworth acknowledged existing critiques of terminology like “gender-responsive budgeting”. She deconstructed the sometimes-misunderstood term, emphasising how it simply entails analysing problems and setting objectives to address them with indicators to measure progress. “It’s just good project planning,” she said. A clear case in point is labour force participation, which can contribute to growth, but only if key obstacles to women’s participation are identified and addressed by investments.

Towards joining forces with other coalitions, Farnsworth also met with the Civil Society Europe Working Group on Funding,Concord, Alliance for Gender Equality in Europe,ODI Europe “Walking the Talk” Initiative, and Prospera on behalf of GBWN and EGBN to discuss opportunities for collaboration towards shared aims. “We believe strongly in networking,” Farnsworth said during an event co-organised by the European Women’s Lobby and Bulgarian Women’s Fund. “We realised long ago that things happening on an EU and global level affect us and our work, but we cannot influence these policies alone. We need to work together with other networks and alliances to bring about changes.”

Stay tuned for upcoming GBWN and EGBN advocacy campaigns where we hope to join forces with other organisations and individual citizens globally to call for an MFF that invests in what matters in people’s lives!