On 5 May 2026, civil society organizations, researchers, gender equality advocates, and international partners from across the region gathered in Ankara, Türkiye, for the regional meeting “Hearing Each Other, Seeing Each Other”, organized by Association for Monitoring Gender Equality (CEID). The event created a valuable space for dialogue on gender equality monitoring, socio-economic inclusion, public accountability, and regional cooperation.
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.
