SELF-ASSESSMENT QUESTION

Does the government assess the gender impact of the budget and does it publish this analysis? Are gender related objectives integrated into the government’s performance framework? Is a gender perspective applied to the allocation of budgeted resources over the course of the budget year?

WHY IS IT IMPORTANT?

Transparency lets citizens know how the government is using its budget to improve gender equality. Setting gender-related performance targets in different areas of spending also allows stakeholders to track the government’s progress in achieving its objectives. Applying a gender perspective to the allocation of resources over the course of the year is important to ensure that gender equality is being promoted and implemented across all areas of government.

ACTIONS TO CONSIDER

• Conduct a gender-related budget incidence analysis: This is an official assessment of the budget’s overall impact in promoting gender equality, including a gender-disaggregated analysis of specific policy measures (both revenue and expenditure-related). This type of analysis should accompany the annual budget. It is usually conducted by the central budget authority (or under its authority).
  
  
• Apply a gender perspective in performance setting: Gender-related performance objectives should be set across different policy areas to enable the government to track progress towards gender equality targets. This will involve identifying output and outcome indicators and realistic targets and incorporating these into relevant budget documentation. The central budget authority or central performance unit may wish to put in place cross-government requirements prescribing that a minimum proportion of budget-related performance objectives be linked to gender.
  
  
• Apply a gender perspective to allocation of budgeted resources: Programme managers should ensure that they allocate budgeted resources in a way that helps close gender gaps. This may be driven by a more senior budget authority putting in place requirements that a minimum proportion of budgeted resources in certain policy areas be allocated towards gender-responsive policies.

PITFALLS TO AVOID

• Gender targets that are set that are not Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Relevant or Time-Bound.
• Poor quality performance information collected. For example, performance information collected may not be relevant to the performance objective.
• Lack of timely performance information. This means that information on progress towards objectives is received too late to meaningfully inform ongoing and future resource allocation decisions.