Nordisk Ministerrd Gender budgeting in the Nordic Council

Nordisk Ministerråd Gender budgeting in the Nordic Council of Ministers Søren Juel Andersen Adviser sja@norden. org

Background Nordisk Ministerråd • Resolution made by the Co-operation Ministers in June 2000 • The Nordic Countries has committed themselves to incorporate gender equality perspectives into all important political decision-making (mainstreaming) • This applies also to national budgets which are central tools to: – Economic policy – Implementation of government policies 11 -06 -2021 2

The main goals of the Nordic Council of Ministers Nordisk Ministerråd • To incorporate gender and equality perspectives into all activities • To develop methods to assess the effects of Nordic Councils of Ministers budgets of gender equality • To use the assessments to incorporate the gender equality perspective 11 -06 -2021 3

The budget as an instrument Nordisk Ministerråd • The budget has a tendency to mirror the society, including its inequalities. • The budget can on the other hand be a powerful instrument for equalizing the society • The budget process is a highly complex decision-making process affected by numerous interests and perspectives • Balancing these different objectives is challenging and it can be difficult to give gender equality a voice • The gender perspective are more likely to have an effect if it is integrated into both existing and new budgetary tools and processes 11 -06 -2021 4

Incorporating mainstreaming into the budget process Nordisk Ministerråd • The budget process is often conservative and changes happens slowly and are incremental • It is important to focused and set realistic goals • It can be useful to focus on practical examples and identify barriers to introduction of gender oriented budgeting • It is often easier to start at the local level than the entire budget 11 -06 -2021 5

Output focus Nordisk Ministerråd • Decentralizing of the budget process means that decision-making takes place on more than more level • There is not necessarily any mechanical correlation between input and outcomes • Focus on input not necessarily improve gender equality if barriers are institutional • Output focus is more likely to provide the information which can improve policy design and the use of resources • Increased output focus in the budget process can facilitate gender equality 11 -06 -2021 6

Implementation Plans for mainstreaming the budget New priorities and strategies 11 -06 -2021 Nordisk Ministerråd Collection of data Evaluation of results 7

The first steps in the budget of the Nordic Council of Ministers Nordisk Ministerråd • A number of councils have been selected as pilots • Focus on activities where gathering of data is easy • Started with services which is easily measurable in a gender perspective • Initially it is possibly for app. 25 % of the budget 11 -06 -2021 8

Status in 2004 Nordisk Ministerråd • Gender equality information are now available for app. half of the relevant budget accounts • Relevance and quality fluctuate 11 -06 -2021 9

Overview of budget accounts 11 -06 -2021 Nordisk Ministerråd 10

The degree of inequality of the distribution Nordisk Ministerråd 47 %* 14 %* * Numbers = percent of the total number of gender relevant budget accounts 11 -06 -2021 11

Examples of gender equality information 11 -06 -2021 Nordisk Ministerråd 12

An attempt to interpret the information Nordisk Ministerråd • Overall equality and balance • Wide variation depending on the type of information • Often the distribution seems to reflect the society as a whole • However there are examples where NCM do better than the society as a whole: – Result of allocating resources to gender equalization – The existence of other competing arrangements which are more dominated by men 11 -06 -2021 13

Moving on. . Nordisk Ministerråd • All councils must be expected to present plans for incorporating a gender perspective • Those councils which already have relevant information will present it in their budget proposals • … as well as assess the need for alternative priorities or new strategies in response to the information • It is mandatory for all councils to provide gender equalizing information and statistics latest 2005 (2006 budget) 11 -06 -2021 14