Budgeting with women in mind

Gender-budgeting to reduce gender disparities and improve economic outcomes

By: Stotsky JG
Published in: Finance and Development, IMF, 44(2) June 2007
Via: Eldis

This article argues that the understanding of how public policies have different effects on men and women has improved in recent years and is influencing macroeconomic policymaking. Reducing gender disparities can lead to improved macroeconomic performance. The recognition that gender disparities are harmful and that government budgets are not gender neutral implies a need to incorporate gender considerations into the budgeting process.

Although gender-budgeting initiatives can take many different forms, their most important purpose is to influence the budgeting process and help policymakers focus on ways that public policies can help reduce gender disparities and improve economic outcomes.

(http://www.imf.org/external/pubs/ft/fandd/2007/06/stotsky.htm)