The workshop focused on strengthening the role of Citizens Budgets as essential tools for transparency, accountability, and citizen participation in public finance. Participants explored international experiences, discussed the current state of Citizens’ Budgets across the region, and jointly designed country-specific draft documents that will make budget information more understandable and accessible to the public.

The programme featured a synergy session with the International Budget Partnership’s (IBP) expert, Priyanka Samy, where participants examined global trends from the Open Budget Survey 2025, reviewed innovative examples of Citizens Budgets from around the world, and explored how gender-responsive budgeting can be integrated into public finance communication through practical examples and interactive group work led by budget experts from Macedonia, Albania and Bosnia and Herzegovina.

Why Citizens Budgets Matter

Government budgets influence every aspect of people’s daily lives—from education and healthcare to social protection, transport, climate action, and local services. However, budget documents are often highly technical and difficult for the general public to understand.

Citizens’ Budgets address this challenge by presenting key budget information in clear, accessible language supported by visual elements. They serve as an entry point that enables citizens to better understand how public funds are allocated and spent, encouraging informed participation in public decision-making and strengthening oversight of government spending.

While Citizens’ Budgets simplify complex financial information, they do not replace official budget documents. Instead, they complement them by making public finance more transparent and enabling wider public engagement.

Integrating Gender into Citizens Budgets

A key focus of the workshop was ensuring that Citizens Budgets go beyond transparency by also reflecting the different ways public spending affects women and men, girls and boys, and people from historically excluded communities.

Participants worked collaboratively to develop a regional methodology for Gender-Responsive Citizens Budgets, applying feminist and intersectional perspectives to national budget communication. Country teams drafted their own documents while also discussing structure, design, messaging, and next steps for finalization.

By making budgets both understandable and gender-responsive, these documents will help citizens better understand not only where public money goes, but also who benefits from public spending and where inequalities remain.

Looking Ahead

The workshop concluded with country teams presenting their draft Gender-Responsive Citizens Budgets and agreeing on a common timeline for finalization. The resulting publications will contribute to stronger public participation, greater budget transparency, and more inclusive public finance across the Western Balkans and Moldova.

Through this initiative, the Gender Budget Watchdog Network continues to strengthen civil society’s role in promoting accountable governance and ensuring that public budgets respond to the needs and priorities of all members of society.

The training provided participants with practical knowledge on Gender Responsive Budgeting and its role in promoting gender equality through public finance. Sessions focused on Albania’s public financial management system, the budget cycle, the Medium-Term Budget Programme, and the legal and institutional framework for integrating a gender perspective into budgeting.

Participants also explored methodologies for gender analysis of public budgets, the use of gender-sensitive indicators, and approaches to monitoring public expenditure from a gender perspective. Through practical exercises based on real budget programmes, they developed skills to identify gender gaps, assess budget allocations, and formulate evidence-based recommendations for more inclusive public policies. The training further highlighted the economic dimension of Gender Responsive Budgeting and the importance of data-driven advocacy in strengthening transparency, accountability, and gender equality in public decision-making.

The training was facilitated by:

• Mirela Arqimandriti, Executive Director, Gender Alliance for Development Center (GADC);
• Fran Brahimi, Public Finance Expert, Ministry of Finance;
• Prof. Assoc. Dr. Olta Milova, Faculty of Economics, University of Tirana.

The starting point was a question that comes up often in NGO offices: AI is talked about everywhere, but what can it really do for budget analysis and advocacy? Instead of talking about AI in abstract terms, the workshop looked at where it fits into the concrete tasks that organizations deal with every week, from reading long budget documents to preparing materials for decision-makers.

The format was hands-on. Participants tried out the tools themselves and saw both their strengths and their limits.

• Analyzing public budgets. Local and national budgets often come as long, dense files that take hours to go through. Participants saw how AI can speed up the reading and summarizing of large volumes of data, and how it can help spot gaps and inequalities, for example in how money is allocated for women and men, or for vulnerable groups who are easy to overlook in the numbers.
• Developing advocacy materials. A good argument still depends on the expertise of the organization, but the writing around it can take a lot of time. The exercises showed how AI can help structure arguments, produce first drafts faster, and turn findings into clear, data-based recommendations that are ready to be refined and used.
• Producing visuals. Numbers rarely convince on their own. Participants worked on turning figures into simple charts and easy-to-read materials, the kind that hold attention in a meeting with public authorities or in a post aimed at a wider audience.

The main takeaway

The central message stayed the same throughout the session: AI does not replace the knowledge and judgment of organizations, it supports them. The quality of the analysis, the political reading of the budget, and the relationship with communities still depend on people.

What changes is the speed and the effort. When these tools are used well, advocacy becomes faster to prepare, better backed by evidence, and easier to follow for the people it is meant to reach. In the end, this work has one practical goal: public services and budgets that are more transparent, more fair, and more accessible for everyone.

Marija Risteska, GBWN regional directress resented a paper on Rethinking long term care in Albania and Macedonia with a simple main message: care is not only a social issue, it is economic and infrastructure issue. Just as we invest in roads, energy or water systems, we also need to invest in care systems. Long-term care services can improve the dignity and quality of life of older people, support women’s participation in the labour market, create jobs, and make public finances more sustainable.

Representing the Gender Budget Watchdog Network (GBWN) were Ivana Petriskova, GBWN Program Coordinator, and Slavica Strikovic from Women Action, who joined policymakers, business leaders, investors, development partners, and civil society representatives from across Europe and beyond.

Under the theme “Volatile to Versatile – Economies Innovating in a Changing World,” the forum provided a platform for discussing some of the most pressing challenges and opportunities facing societies today—from green finance and sustainable cities to artificial intelligence and the role of civil society in shaping resilient communities.

Building Inclusive Economies Through Financial Literacy

One of the recurring messages throughout the forum was the need to bring citizens closer to economic opportunities. Discussions on regional capital markets highlighted that many people still lack the knowledge and confidence needed to participate in investment opportunities and long-term financial planning. Speakers stressed that improving financial literacy is essential for strengthening economic resilience and ensuring that the benefits of economic growth are shared more broadly. These discussions resonated strongly with GBWN’s commitment to promoting inclusive policies and equitable access to economic opportunities.

Green Cities Need Green Investments

The transition to more sustainable and climate-resilient cities was another key topic throughout the event. During discussions on the EBRD Green Cities Programme, participants explored how municipalities can move beyond reliance on donor funding and mobilize investments through partnerships with private financial institutions and investors. Examples from across the region demonstrated how investments in sustainable transport, cleaner infrastructure, and greener urban environments can improve quality of life while also making cities more attractive for businesses and future investments.

For GBWN, these discussions reinforced the importance of ensuring that climate and infrastructure investments respond to the diverse needs of women and men and contribute to more inclusive urban development.

Civil Society as a Partner for Change

Among the most relevant sessions for GBWN was the discussion on the evolving role of civil society organizations. Rather than being viewed solely as watchdogs, civil society actors were increasingly recognized as partners, innovators, and contributors to policy development and investment planning. Participants emphasized that meaningful engagement of civil society should begin at the earliest stages of decision-making processes, enabling communities to contribute knowledge, expertise, and local perspectives before investments are designed and implemented.

This message aligns closely with GBWN’s vision of strengthening accountability through constructive dialogue and collaboration between institutions and civil society organizations.

Artificial Intelligence and the Human Factor

As artificial intelligence continues to transform economies and societies, the forum also addressed the opportunities and risks associated with emerging technologies. Experts highlighted the importance of maintaining human oversight, ethical standards, and robust governance frameworks when using AI systems. While AI can support data analysis and decision-making processes, speakers agreed that human judgement, critical thinking, and accountability remain irreplaceable. For organizations working with public policies and evidence-based advocacy, these discussions offered valuable insights into how technology can be used responsibly while safeguarding democratic values and fundamental rights.

Strengthening Partnerships for Sustainable Development

Beyond the formal sessions, the Annual Meeting offered valuable opportunities for networking and exchange among stakeholders from different regions and sectors. The event demonstrated that addressing today’s complex challenges requires collaboration between governments, businesses, financial institutions, and civil society organizations. One of the most important meetings was the one with the Ministry of Finance of Montenegro.

GBWN’s participation provided an important opportunity to learn from emerging practices, share experiences from the Western Balkans, and explore new partnerships that can contribute to more transparent, accountable, and inclusive development processes. As discussions in Riga made clear, resilience is not built by institutions alone. It is created through cooperation, innovation, and the meaningful inclusion of diverse voices in shaping the future.

We look forward to bringing the lessons and connections from Riga into its ongoing work to advance gender-responsive budgeting, strengthen civic participation, and promote sustainable development across the region.

Conference Themes

We welcome theoretical, empirical, comparative, and practice-oriented papers addressing one or more of the following themes:

1. Financing the Care Economy through Gender-Responsive Budgeting – Papers may examine how public budgets recognize, reduce, redistribute, reward, and represent care work; how investments in childcare, eldercare, long-term care, health, social protection, and care infrastructure contribute to gender equality; and how GRB can support more sustainable and inclusive care systems.
2. Gender-Responsive Climate Finance and Just Transition – Papers may explore how climate budgets, green investments, disaster risk reduction financing, energy transition policies, and adaptation measures can be assessed and redesigned through a gender lens. Contributions may address gender-sensitive climate data, climate budgeting tools, local-level climate finance, and the inclusion of women and vulnerable groups in climate-related decision-making.
3. Financing Women’s Entrepreneurship and the Women’s Economy – Papers may focus on access to finance for women entrepreneurs, women-led SMEs, start-ups, and informal or underserved businesses; the role of financial regulators and financial service providers; gender-disaggregated financial data; the WE Finance Code; and policy instruments that expand women’s economic participation.
4. University–CSO Collaboration for Gender-Equal Societies – Papers may analyze models of cooperation between academia and civil society in producing evidence, developing gender-sensitive research and data, strengthening public accountability, and translating research into advocacy, policy reform, and budget change.
5. Innovative GRB Methodologies, Tools, and Technologies – Papers may examine new approaches to gender budget analysis, expenditure tracking, gender tagging, participatory budgeting, digital tools, dashboards, AI-supported analysis, intersectional data, and other innovations that strengthen transparency and accountability for gender equality.
6. Budgeting for Well-being, Equality, and Social Justice – Papers may address how well-being economy approaches, inclusive growth frameworks, social investment, and gender-responsive fiscal policies can contribute to more equitable outcomes. Contributions may include comparative experiences, local and national case studies, and policy lessons from different regions.

Please submit an abstract of a paper under the following gender responsive budgeting themes, which is on some of the afore mentioned themes and will be no longer than 300 words, including:

• Title
• 3-8 keywords indicating paper’s subject, theme and scope
• Paper’s presenter’s email address and co-author’s email address

Important dates:

• Abstract Submission Deadline: 06.07.2026: https://forms.gle/P89U8Si2N45PkXhh9 
• Notification of Acceptance: 15.07.2026
• Conference Date: 25-27.08.2026
• Full Paper Submission Deadline: 31.10.2026.

More details about the call here.

Representing the Gender Budget Watchdog Network (GBWN) and the Center for Research and Policy Making (CRPM), Marija Risteska participated in the panel discussion “Gender Equality Monitoring: Why and How?” alongside speakers from North Macedonia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Serbia, and international organizations.

In her intervention, Marija reflected on the evolution of gender-responsive budgeting in the region and the journey that led to the establishment of GBWN — today a network of more than 100 civil society organizations working to strengthen accountability, transparency, and gender equality through public finance monitoring. She emphasized that budgets are never neutral documents. They reflect political priorities and determine whose needs are recognized and whose remain invisible. “Budgets show us what governments truly prioritize. They show who benefits, who is left out, and whose needs remain invisible.”

Drawing from GBWN’s experience across the Western Balkans and Moldova, the presentation highlighted how gender budget monitoring can transform technical financial analysis into concrete social change. Examples included advocacy for home care services that recognize unpaid care work, efforts to improve equal access to sports infrastructure for girls and boys, campaigns for preventive healthcare measures, and regional initiatives addressing menstrual poverty and unfair taxation of menstrual products.

A central message of the discussion was that monitoring is not only about producing reports and indicators. It is about translating evidence into policies that improve people’s everyday lives. As stressed during the panel, gender-responsive budgeting connects public finance with dignity, care, health, inclusion, and equal opportunities.

The meeting also demonstrated the growing importance of regional solidarity among civil society organizations. Participants exchanged experiences on gender equality monitoring, women’s economic empowerment, violence prevention, masculinities, and local accountability mechanisms, while exploring opportunities for stronger future cooperation.

For GBWN, the event reaffirmed the importance of building cross-border partnerships and expanding shared methodologies for gender equality monitoring beyond the Western Balkans. The network continues working toward making gender-responsive budgeting tools more accessible, adaptable, and impactful across different regional contexts.

Representing GBWN, Nicole Farnsworth from the Kosovo Women’s Network joined leading experts, researchers, and practitioners to discuss how gender-responsive budgeting can be strengthened within research funding and broader public finance frameworks.

This engagement highlights the growing role of civil society networks in shaping high-level policy debates as well as the importance of ensuring that gender equality remains at the core of future European investments.

Risks in the Next EU Budget

During the session, Nicole  presented critical insights on gender budgeting in the upcoming EU Multiannual Financial Framework (MFF) 2028–2034. While the proposed budget reaches nearly €2 trillion and introduces new priorities and flexibility, it also raises serious concerns from a gender equality perspective. There is a worrying trend: gender equality is at risk of being sidelined. The current proposal weakens commitments by removing strong provisions for gender mainstreaming, lacks dedicated funding for gender equality, and limits its integration across key programmes. Instead of shaping funding priorities, gender considerations risk being reduced to a reporting exercise, which is undermining their transformative potential.

Furthermore, monitoring systems remain insufficient, with limited indicators that fail to capture real progress on gender equality. Without stronger commitments, there is a high risk that gender-responsive budgeting becomes symbolic rather than impactful.

In response, GBWN calls for concrete improvements to ensure that the next EU budget truly delivers for all:

• Binding gender equality objectives across all funding programmes
• Dedicated and earmarked funding for gender equality and women’s rights
• Stronger monitoring, evaluation, and accountability mechanisms
• Systematic integration of gender across the entire budget cycle—from design to implementation

These recommendations reflect years of experience from GBWN members working across the Western Balkans and beyond, advocating for budgets that respond to the real needs of women and men.

Beyond the policy messages, the meeting demonstrated something equally important: the power of networks.

GBWN’s participation in this space underscores how regional networks can amplify local expertise and influence global agendas. By connecting grassroots realities with EU-level discussions, GBWN ensures that gender equality is not treated as an afterthought, but as a core principle of public finance.

Join the Movement: Invest in What Matters for People

We invite you to support the campaign “Invest in What Matters for People!” – the initiative calls on EU institutions to place gender equality, care, and social priorities at the heart of the next EU budget. The campaign reflects a broader collective effort—bringing together civil society organisations, networks, and advocates across Europe to demand a budget that works for people, not just for markets.

Sign the petition and support a gender-responsive EU budget: https://form.jotform.com/260853624523356

Join the INCLUDE Community of Practice, (more info on the CoP here)

Strengthening Civil Society Voices at the CSO Forum (20 April)

At the Civil Society Forum, hosted by the Regional Civil Society Engagement Mechanism, GBWN joined CSOs representatives from ECE region addressing challenges such as shrinking civic space, geopolitical tensions, and challenges to multilateralism. The Forum created a critical platform for shaping joint civil society advocacy ahead of the Regional Forum.

Discussions focused on the SDGs under review: SDG 6 (Clean Water and Sanitation), SDG 7 (Affordable and Clean Energy), SDG 9 (Industry, Innovation and Infrastructure), SDG 11 (Sustainable Cites and Communities), and SDG 17 (Partnerships for the Goals). GBWN representatives, Ivana Petriskova (CRPM) and Alexandru Gribincea (Keystone Moldova) particularly contributed to the discussions on the SDG 11 on sustainable cities and communities highlighting the importance of inclusive, equitable, and gender-responsive public policies. They have emphasized the importance of gender-responsive budgeting (GRB), underscoring how public budgets can be leveraged to ensure that climate, transport, and urban policies address the differentiated needs of women and men. Overall, during the CSOs forum, the civil society actors emphasized the need for rights-based approaches, stronger participation in decision-making, and more transparent public finance systems.

Regional Forum on Sustainable Development (21–22 April)

During the Regional Forum, GBWN engaged with policymakers and stakeholders to advocate for gender-responsive approaches to sustainable development. The Forum provided a key accountability space for countries reporting on SDG progress and preparing Voluntary National Reviews. GBWN’s participation focused on bridging gender equality, climate action, and public finance, which are the areas that remain insufficiently integrated in policy frameworks across the region.

Side Event: Care, Climate and Mobility

A key highlight of GBWN’s engagement was the side event: “Care, Climate and Mobility: Why Gender-Responsive Transport is Essential for Just Climate Action.”

This discussion brought together representatives from governments, civil society, and international organisations to explore how transport systems can better reflect the realities of care work and contribute to fair climate transitions.

Agenda of the side event

Moderator: Ivana Petrisková, Gender Budget Watchdog Network, Program Coordinator

Opening remarks (8:30-9:00am):
– Kire Ilioski, Director Directorate for multilateral issues, Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Government of N. Macedonia
– Ștefania Deák, Head of Service, Sustainable Development Coordination and Implementation Service, Government of Romania – Department for Sustainable Development
– Elisa Fernandez, UN Women Deputy Regional Director

Civil society perspective (9:00-9:30am):
– Alexandru Gribincea, Keystone Moldova, GBWN Project Coordinator
– Sylvia Beales, Regional Civil Society Coordination Mechanism of the ECE (ECERCEM) Governing Body Member, Gray Panthers
– Dragana Dardić, Helsinki Citizens Parliament (online)

The conversation emphasized that:

• Transport systems are not gender-neutral and must reflect diverse mobility patterns;
• Unpaid care work significantly shapes how women access and use transport;
• Climate policies in mobility risk deepening inequalities if gender, age and disability aspects are not integrated;
• Gender-responsive budgeting offers practical tools to align investments with people’s real needs.

The event reinforced the urgency of designing transport systems that are accessible, affordable, safe, and climate-resilient ensuring that no one is left behind in the transition to greener economies.

GBWN’s participation in these regional processes highlights the growing role of civil society in shaping inclusive and accountable sustainable development policies. As countries move toward the High-Level Political Forum 2026, GBWN will continue to advocate for gender-responsive budgeting as a key mechanism to deliver just climate action and equitable public services.

More photos from the Regional Forum on Sustainable Development 2026: https://www.flickr.com/photos/98046700@N04/albums/72177720333207657/

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