Institutionalizing Gender Budgeting

Introduction

To further women’s empowerment, EQUALITY for Peace and Development (EPD) has embarked on a Kabul-based project that aims to contribute to the overall objectives of  the Ministry of Women Affairs (MoWA). It hopes to fosters the institutionalization of Gender Responsive Budgeting (GRB) in the Budget Directorate of the Ministry of Finance as well as other ministries and sub-national bureaucracies.

Activities

More specifically, the project seeks to enhance the policy-making and monitoring capacity of the MoWA, focusing on the National Action Plan for the Women of Afghanistan. Activities will include developing women’s entrepreneurship skills, supporting women cooperatives in 19 provinces, improving women’s access to justice mechanisms, and spreading awareness on women’s rights among both women and men.

The key output of the project is the GRB handbook. This will be developed and translated into local languages and eventually promoted through advocacy events. GRB trainings will subsequently be conducted at several ministries, civil society organizations and provincial councils. A partnership will be built with a GRB expert-organization in the Kabul region to widen the project’s circle of influence.