ILO: Introduction to Gender Budgeting

Background

Gender mainstreaming has been an important strategy to reduce inequality between men and women over the past two decades. Women's advancement is indisputable but international organisations, national and local governments are contritely aware of shortcomings and of the long road ahead to achieve gender equality. Gender mainstreaming needs to set robust mechanisms to ensure women's equal access and equal rights and gender budgeting can be an instrument that makes a difference. It is a relatively new process and tools for its implementation are still being tested but it is already proving to be a process with good results.

Gender budget initiatives have the potential to contribute to the promotion of gender equality in the International Labour Organisation (ILO) Decent Work Agenda. The Decent Work Agenda seeks to promote social justice by advocating a rights-based approach to development. It meets the overall goal of the ILO to promote equal opportunities for both women and men to engage in decent work "in conditions of freedom, equity, security and human dignity […]. Decent work means meeting or exceeding core social standards - setting a threshold for work and employment which embodies universal rights" (ILO 2000).

The International Training Centre (ITC-ILO) is well positioned to promote gender budgeting because of its capacity to work with and get support from the ILO tripartite constituency.

Their involvement is critical in ensuring a wide knowledge-base and use of the gender budgeting tool. ILO's Decent Work Country Programme is using gender budgeting as a mean to analyse its impact and benefits on women. Gender budgeting is particularly relevant as ILO's scope covers:

• Employment as a key condition for women's economic empowerment
• Gender sensitive labour economics which is a key ingredient for gender budgeting in a development context
• Result-base management through planning and budgeting exercises

Objectives

Gender budget analysis helps governments and organisations understand the impact of policies, where adjustment can be made, and where resources need to be reallocated to address poverty and gender inequalities. Gender responsive budgeting is based on the analysis of the impact of expenditure and revenue on women and girls as compared to men and boys and provide a policy and planning document. Participants in this five-day workshop will analyse gender responsive budgeting as a strategic tool to boast gender equality mainstreaming in economic planning and financial management.

This training will enable participants and ILO's social partners to achieve practical results such as:

• Increased awareness and capacity on gender and budgets
• Enhanced institutional accountability
• Promotion of equal participation in decision-making processes
• Development of more gender-equal policies and identifying the gap between policy and budget allocations
• Strengthened advocacy and social dialogue on gender issues

Participants' profile

Participants must have a good knowledge of the gender mainstreaming approach and gender tools such as the gender analysis or have attended the ITC Mainstreaming Gender Equality: Concepts and Instruments training or equivalent gender training. Participants could be:

• Policy makers, national and local public services staff
• Regional and international development agencies' staff
• Civil society representatives interested in doing advocacy work and raising awareness on gender issues
• Employers and workers representatives wishing to ensure an equitable access and processes in their organisation
• Individuals interested in gender equality and in the mainstreaming gender approach.

Content Overview

• Gender Budget: concepts and principles
• Budget priorities for men and women, gender roles and gender needs
• Gender Analysis and Budget cycle framework
• Gender-disaggregated benefit incidence analysis: Women and men access to services and programmes: a double standard approach?
• Impact of budget on time use
• Assessment of gender-sensitivity of service delivery and policy levels
• The Gender Budget as a planning strategy: best practices
• Practical tools for implementing a gender budget

Methodology

Training methods will include presentations by ILO and Turin Centre specialists and from invited external lecturers. They will also include individual and group learning activities under the guidance of highly qualified specialists in thematic fields, gender issues and learning methodology.

Participants and facilitators will work in a highly participatory environment.

Country/thematic group work, brainstorming and discussions will complement presentations, with a view to stimulating participants' ability to link concepts and data to their own work and life experience.

Dates: 26-30 October 2009

Location: Turin, Italy

Cost of participation
The course cost is available on our website
(http://gender.itcilo.org). Please register to access all enrollment details.

The total cost of participation for this course includes tuition fees and optional subsistence cost. Some partial scholarships may be available. Please inquire for eligibility criteria.

Tuition cost covers:

• Tuition fees
• Training materials
• Course preparation, implementation and evaluation

Subsistence cost (optional) covers:

• Full board and lodging at the Turin Centre Campus
• Laundry
• Minor medical care and insurance
• Socio-cultural activities.

The cost of participation does not include international travel between the participants' home country and the course venue. The tuition and subsistence cost (if applicable) are payable in advance by the participant or his/her sponsoring organisation, by a bank transfer to the International Training Centre of the ILO.

Further details will be provided as regards payment modalities.

Applications to participate should be addressed to:

Gender and Non-Discrimination Programme
International Training Centre of the ILO, Viale Maestri del
Lavoro 10 - 10127 Turin, Italy
Tel +39 011 693 6600,
Fax. +39 011 693 6350;
E-mail: gcu@itcilo.org;
Web site: http://gender.itcilo.org

They should be supported by a curriculum vitae and a supporting letter from the sponsoring/funding institution. As an organisation dedicated to fundamental human rights and social justice, the ILO is taking a leading role in international efforts to promote gender equality. In line with this ILO focus, women candidates are encouraged to apply to ITC/ILO standard courses. Men are particularly welcome in this specific course.