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An Introduction to Gender Budgeting and the Experience of the UK Women’s Budget Group. Swedish Ministry of Finance Stockholm, Sweden October 8, 2004 9-12pm. UK Women’s Budget Group. About the the WBG Working with Government. What is gender budgeting?. Not a separate budget for women
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An Introduction to Gender Budgeting and the Experience of the UK Women’s Budget Group Swedish Ministry of Finance Stockholm, Sweden October 8, 2004 9-12pm
UK Women’s Budget Group • About the the WBG • Working with Government
What is gender budgeting? • Nota separate budget for women • Analysing any form of public expenditure, or method of raising public money, from a gender perspective • A tool for testing a government’s gender mainstreaming commitments
Why do gender budgeting? • Policy affects women and men differently due to the existing pattern of gender inequalities • Evaluate the impact on the unpaid economy as well as paid economy
Aims of gender budgeting • To integrate a gender analysis into economic policy • To promote greater accountability for government’s commitment to gender equality • To change budgets and policies
Benefits of gender budgeting • Reducing socio-economic gender inequalities • Improving policy efficiency • Internal benefits for governments
Policy areas covered: • Public spending and revenue • National budget • Gender machinery of government
How to do gender budgeting • Evolving concept and practice • Auditing revenue and expenditure • Toolkits • Stages in the budget cycle • Gender budget statements
UK Examples Case Study - New Deal for the Unemployed • Flagship government scheme • 57% to young unemployed; 23% long term unemployed; 8% to lone parents; 12% other N.D.s BUT • N.D. Young People - 72% men and 28% women • N.D. Long Term Unemployed - 84% men and 16% women • N.D. for Lone 95% women
Transport • Men are predominant users of private transport (e.g. cars) • Women more reliant on public transport • Women and men have different patterns of transport use
Gender Analysis of Expenditure Project • Pilot project to run for 6 months from Spring 2003 • Joint HM Treasury, Women & Equality Unit leadership of project with WBG involvement
How did we do it? • Pilot involving 2 government department’s: • Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) • Department for Trade and Industry (DTI) • A brief high-level gender-disaggregated expenditure analysis for each department • A detailed gender disaggregated expenditure analysis for up to 2 specific programmes
Why did HM Treasury do it? • Economic efficiency • Service delivery • Improved policy-making • Customer focus • Gender mainstreaming
Lessons • Time • Commitment • Data • Joint working with high level support • Targets