1
Gender Responsive Budgeting experience in
Berlin A mutual learning processTbilisi,
Georgia 01.04.08

• Effective use of public expenditures for Gender
  Equality Justice makes more Good Governance,
  Transparency Economical Growth

Marion Böker Consultancy on Human
Rights www.boeker-consult.de Gender
Issues, Berlin
2
International Background Law, regulations agreed
consensus on the implementation of Gender
Mainstreaming Budgeting -gt Benchmark 2015

• 1985 since UN-Decade for Women in PRSP /
  EU-sponsered (Canada, USA-WILPF,AUS)
• 1985 CEDAW 0Tolerance for any form of
  discrimination on the ground of gender/sex
  not even through the budget Shadow report
  German NGOs (GBI Berlin) 3/04 Article 1-16
  5, Art 2d, 3
• see Diane Elson (06)Budgeting for Womens
  Rights. Ed. by unifem
• 1995 ? 2000 Peking 5/ 2005 Peking 10
• 1999 EU Treaty of Amsterdam
• 1997 EU-Regulation ? German decision of Govn.
  cabinet for GM, 1999
• 2001 EU-Finance Minister Conferenz by UNIFEM
  Benchmark 2015
• A5-0214/2003 Decision of the European Parliament
• 2005 Council of Europe Gender Budgeting. Final
  report of the group of specialists on gender
  budgeting (EG-S-GB) www.coe/int/equality
• 2006 EU Roadmap to Equality (bis 2010)
• 2007 CSW Confirms GM/GB especially on
  girls/boys - age as a category
• 2008 CSW Confirms and calls for implementation
  of GB as an efficient way of financing
  gender equalty
• 2008 CCRE/CEMR European Charta for Gender
  Equality within the Life
• Communities/ by the Council of Communities and
  regions of Europe and the nightbours

3
UN-WORLD CONFERENCE Against Racism, Racial
Discrimination, Xenophobia and Related
Intolerance, Programme of Action, 2001, DURBAN ?
WCAR

• PARA 52, p. 63 f. Recognize that poverty
  shapes economic and social status and establishes
  obstacles to the effective political
  participation of women and men in different ways
  and to different extent, urges States to
  undertake gender analyses of all economic and
  social policies and programmes,
• especially poverty eradication measures,
• including those designed and implemented to
  benefit those individuals or groups of
  individuals who are victims of racism, racial
  discrimination, xenophobia and related
  intolerances

4
BRIEF HISTORY of German NGO Practice Muenster
first experiences1993- a west-german community
of 400.000

• December 1993 A first experience of a gender
  budgeting process on the local level to turn
  around the local budget of the city Muenster in
  Nordrhein Westfalia (West-Germany).
• We a NGO - the Womens Research and Archives,
  Muenster - checked it for its gender balance,
  for to win criteria for a new gender balanced
  budget, we compared the minimum of resources for
  womens projects and womens and girls and
  migrant womens needs in the city as to other
  portions of the budget, mens football clubs,
  costs of male violent side effects, male dominat
  use of huge planing projects ...
• We looked through all budget posts and measures
  and questioned their benefit for women.
• We asked What do we want to cancel, where do we
  want to spend more?
• Result The visible money in the budget for
  womens projects and need was under 1 (0, 005 )
  of the whole amount of the budget. We increased
  it later to 153 . And we reached out for the
  left over 99 of resources to define their use.
  We found 1,5 MIO DM wasted- we listed them for
  better use
• We made the budget transparent We discovered
  useless spent money (since 1952) for measures- a
  support for a military submarine in the North of
  Germany - which nobody wanted any more to be
  financed in 1993 this later was corrected by
  the next budget
• We claimed (after a study about the real need of
  womens projects) bigger amounts of the regular
  local budget for the womens projects and reached
  one year and one election later the increase of
  153 and that the Womens Project are fixed in
  the budget
• We were noticed important because we wanted the
  hard power while discussing the hard facts of
  the whole budget we scandalized while proposing
  to cancel the public support for carnival and a
  traditional mens music club. As such in 1994 we
  were invited from the new local government and
  some of our issues were implemented-
• Being empowered to talk about the budget means
  gaining POWER!
• Even if there are cuts again, the effect lasts
  until to-day The effect was sustainable!
• Marion Böker und Anne Neugebauer (HG.) nichts
  ist unmöglich...Frauen fordern Geld in den
  Kommunen, unrast verlag, Münster 1994

5
2000 Peking 5 Gender Budget was
recommended as the NEW innovation !!!

• May 2001 NGO Womens Forum offers workshop in
  Berlin as to Gender Budgets With Mascha Madörin
  et. al
• The Berlin Women decided to continue working on
  Gender Budgeting and implementation on Berlin
  Land Level Fed. level
• August 2001 Berlin had non-regular elections
  had a financial scandal (open window)
• The Initiative for a Gender Balanced Budget in
  Berlin focused on their Lobbying for to implement
  Gender Budgeting in Berlin- AND FOR POLITICAL
  WILL CAPACITY (Trainings for MPs)
• September 2001 Short before the elections OPEN
  LETTER for a Gender Balanced Budget in Berlin a
  budgetary analysis, transparency participation
  of women in Berlin!
• 153 persons und 25 (Womens) Organisations signed
  the OPEN LETTER
• It was send to the media and recognized. In
  October after the elections it distributed to all
  Board members of the Parties and of the elected
  politicians in the Berlin Parliament
• We were invited to speak at different seminars
  and events for parties, especially with Greens
  and Social Democratic and other stakeholder
  (adult education institutions, foundations, with
  womens and gender advisors from the Berlin
  administration)
• Only one political party integrated their will to
  implement Gender Budgeting in Berlin into their
  party election program The Greens Berlin
• The Bavarian branch of the Heinrich-Boell
  Foundation, called PETRA KELLY Foundation started
  with the Berlin branch to make seminars for
  politicians to balance the budget
• November 2001 We succeeded having implementation
  of GB in the coalition contract
• Dec. 2001 The three partys dealing for a
  coalition split apart The new coalition kept the
  written chapter as to the implementation of
  Gender Budgeting in the contract
• January 2002 IMPLEMENTATION in Berlin is
  promised

6
How we got the decision for GM/GB in Berlin We
got lots to do!

• Conference of Heinrich-Boell-Foundation Gender
  Budget and Financing for Development -
  preparation to Monterre, Berlin Land Parliament,
  Feb. 2002
• Talks with the smaller ruling party THE LEFT -
  Briefings of politician, April 2002
• We mentioned the implementation in Berlin during
  a hearing of the national Parliaments Enquete
  Commission to Globalization and Gender A few
  MPs announced to take the issue of GB as an
  issues in the upcoming national elections.
• The Greens decided to mention GB at the first
  chapter of their constitutional program
• The Berlin Initiative made a Flyer, webpage and
  lobbying at all parties, MPs members etc.
• 3/2002 UN - Committee on the Status of Women in
  NYC mentioned GB as an important instrument to
  combat poverty and tool for macro economics and
  the UN-Conference Financing for Development, in
  Monterrey/Mexico dealed with the issue
• 6/2002 After a hearing with one of our members,
  Regina Frey, the Berlin Senat decided the
  implementation of Gender Budgeting in Berlin
  decided to implement
• 9/ 2002 It became a promise in the national
  coalition contract after the elections
• 1/ 2003 Speech of EU-Commissioner Michaela
  Schreyer EU wants GB ?4/ 2003 Konferenz in
  Gdanz
• 5/ 2003 GBInitiative Berlin got a seat in the
  Commission on Gender Mainstreaming of the Berlin
  Land level (was one of the 10 RECOMMENDATIONS of
  the GBI Berlin)
• GBIs Shadow Report to the first Report of the
  Berlin Senat on GB - Recommendations
• 04 Shadow report to CEDAW on GB !!!
  Feasabilitystudy is promised publ. 07

7
What you need!

• Lobbying
• Knowledge Training of MPs- Politicians
  Decision Makers
• Political Will
• Help them by strategy development networking
  give space for strategic talks ? Counceling!
• Resources your expertise - strategic partners
  budget - staff
• Structure (have a plan what is needed- which
  bodies- what steering group - where)
• Provide your recommendation in public
• FEED the POLITICAL WILL with arguments, best
  practice by opportunity to exchange INVITE AN
  EXTERNAL PROPHET !!!
• IDENTIFY meaningfull supporters with
  psychological leader qualities
• for a change management in the administration
  Politics
• Have energy for the long run- be patient claim
  for the impossible

8
Berlin - Gender BudgetingOrganizational Structure
Parliamentasks for activity and better
information
2002 / 2005 / 2007
Government (Senate)resolution gender budget
2002 / 2003
specifications
Gender Mainstreaming Land Commission -steering
group(state secretaries)
Two times a year since 2003
reports
Gender Budgetingsteering and working
group(chair head of budget departmenthigh
level government employees2 members of
parliamentindependent initiatives/ NGOs)
monthly since 2003 (since then over 50 meetings)
First in BPDoc 2008/08
Gender Budgeting as an integrative part of Berlin
state budgetary policy with all methods dealing
later with 100
9
Resources Berlin with a deficid budget decided
its a good investment

• The Coordination Unit for GM/GB of the Land
• (4 persons staff within Ministry for Economy,
  Technology and
• Womens Equailty, budget for publications,
  conference, trainings)
• Order for Head of budget department, Ministry of
  Finance Berlin his staff collegue (their time
  as a regular part of the job)
• 100.000 EUR for external consultancy per year
  Especially requested from the districts-for GB
  GM-Analysis when first results had to be
  interpreted, varifyed e.g. Library playing
  ground, external consultants push the process
  further (indicators as best practice test, then
  methodology can be generalised)
• Programme of the Admin. Academy of the Land
  Berlin Training of their regular staff and
  freelancers for to train/teach new admin. staff

10
The Political Will

• Starts as a commitment by candidats runing for
  elections
• The political parties Administrative staff-
• Is manifested best in documents Party programmes
  Coalition Contract to hold the politicians
  accountable for their commitment
• If documented must be told the media (!)
• is never strong enough
• Must be enshrined in the budgetary law of the
  municipality/ state- not depend on individual but
  law and documents

11
will be taken through a clear understanding of
the potential of GB

• In Berlin GB is not only a measure of getting an
  informed budget document more gender justice
• It helps as the first systematic process with a
  methodology to get more general transparency in
  the budget, to reform a traditional budgetary
  process to be a modern administrative political
  tool
• AND might be open ways into a participatory
  budgetary process for the citizens (Women and
  men/ migrants/ of different age groups/
  handicaped)
• As it helps with GM to break gender stereotypes
  it might help for more equality for all targeted
  groups

12
GB with GM is a necessary tool to solve economic
challenges

• GIA in the planning process for all new budget
  lines measures
• Longterm evaluation - Controling improvement of
  finances in the budget (the analysis often
  requires a re-definition the goal of measures
  proper gender equality- for which specific
  targeted group of women/men quota criteria of
  quality indicators while the volume of the
  budget line might be the same or changes a bit)
• Lissabon goals of women in labour force less
  unemloyment- less forced part time - (rights to
  work - more tax for the budget!)
• Elimination of pay gap For equal loan - Equal
  chances as entrepreneurs
• No more womens discrimination through taxation,
  pension, public contracting (outsourcing or
  subventions to private sector)
• Enshrining care economy as a economic factor of
  wealth value
• Sharing this payed and unpayed economic
  contribution between women and men
• Inclusion of women in decision making on
  budgetary and financial targets, effects
• Equal access for women and men as to their needs
  to public expenditure and all economic
  production of the society as well on (global)
  macroeconomic level
• Enhance States, Govn.s Civil Societies
  (Populations) capacity to address and profit from
  future economic challenges to create a framework
  of well being in dignity educate all on the
  capacity to do so- empower for participation

13
Berlins three step model An example of good
practice

• Achieve transparency analysis of primary
  beneficiaries
• Extent analysis involve secondary beneficiaries
• Steering by objectives

14
Analysis of primary beneficiaries- inclusion of
gender information in regular budget planing
document

• pilot phase
• preparatory training by steering group Berlin
  Admin. Academy
• budget 2006 / 2007 specific benefits of public
  expenditure
• collection and compilation of data absolute and
  relative
• identification of most relevant issues
• current transfers at city (State of Fed. system)
  level
• 56 services at borough (municipal) level

15
Berlin Data Collection- Matrix was provided by
the Ministry for Finances
16
First Results on Municipality LevelFrom 6 to 56
products/ budget lines

• Source 3. Report of the Berlin Senat on GB 2005
  13 Districts
• In addition gender experts are doing GM-Analysis
  as to find out what causes the gap to not make it
  just sex counting- but find measures e.g. how
  to engage men in reading- how to make them users
  of libraries and not to send their mothers/wifes,
  sisters.- how to make libraries a public service
  adressing the needs of all groups including boys
  and men)
• 1. Seminars in Adult Educ. Inst. 74,31 Frauen
  25,68 Männer
• 2. Media in Libraries 63,39 Frauen 33,96
  Männer
• 3. Programme/ Events in Arts 61,25 Frauen
  44,29 Männer
• 4. Counceling of handicaped persons
  55,64 Frauen 44,36 Männer
• 5. Integrative Educational Family Counseling
• 52,20 Frauen 45,95 Männer
• 6. General Measures for Children Youth
• 45,09 Frauen 54,90 Männer

17
(No Transcript)
18
Extent analysis involve secondary beneficiaries

• budget 2008 / 2009
• concentration on recipients of public funds
• agreements with recipients to provide necessary
  information
• gender information one of many types of
  information in the budget plan
• gender budgeting as an integrative part of
  normal budgeting process

19
Steering by objectives

• Definition of gender-specific objectives
• Meaningful policy analyses
• Strategic conclusions for better government
• Final stage full integration of gender budgeting
  as a steering mechanism into the parliamentary
  budgetary process

20
Important economical issues can be addressed
after the first results Financial Programmes for
Entrepreneurs have to be balanced more gender
equal- Below PUBLIC donation for private
Entrepreneurs and special economic and work place
creation Ministry for Economy, Technology and
Women Stimulation of he private sector
21
Other examples of early interventions are

• To invest in better equiped and hygenic sport
  grounds with roofs for more girls/women just
  allow female sport teams to enter the grounds
  (Lichtenberg, Krbg/Frh.) football
• Age groups being active in sports men in the
  middle ages stop sport activities- women increase
  them What about long life health and the gender
  relations
• BUT
• Berlin must become more progessive talking with
  private sector, companies when they take
  beneficiaries They then need to implement gender
  equality (no gender pay gap workplaces with
  works life balance criteria- )
• Berlin has to address poverty by more investment
  in better child care institutions and education
  (as well libraries, programmes for kids and young
  people and minority groups GB justifies
  investing here as well as in integration on
  the long run more workplaces and more qualified
  women and men of all groups will generate more
  tax and a higher budget- but more investment in
  this budget lines without an increase of the
  budget volume

22
Limits of budgetary influence of the State/Land
in a Federal System NeedChances to infuence
Fed. Level..

• Labour market issues in the education of
  unemployed, measures for unemployed or low
  qualified women and men gender specific (Fed.
  Unemployment Agency)!
• Lots of funds are under federal authority
• Trade
• Military Security spending is increasing on
  federal level
• Tax policy (no individual tax for women) is
  defined on Fed. Level) many more!
• Sometimes we cannot get data if they are
  generated by a national institution or under a
  national regulation (Data on tourism as a growing
  private sector !!!)
• So
• Our Senate make interventions in the second
  chamber- Berlin brings gender competence Berlin
  requests gender action from the Fed. Council of
  Laender/ Bundesrat and into Joint Federal
  Laender Commissions
• WE NEED A FEDERAL GENDER BUDGETING PROCESS!

23
The Berlin example How to achieve good practice

• clear demands and requests by parliament and
  government
• clear formal structures, leading role for
  Ministry of Finance
• integration into the yearly budgeting process
  instead of additional reporting mechanism
• working together, learning together, learning by
  doing
• be practical, do not annoy people with too much
  theory
• bring together government officials, parliament,
  NGOs and other experts
• not yet achieved to persuade more members of
  parliament of active collaboration