Learning from gender responsive budgeting in Austria

Photo: A three-day study visit of government officials to Vienna, Austria, organized from UN Women Albania in close collaboration with Austrian Development Agency.

On 13-15 September, in the framework of the Gender Responsive Policies (GRP) Regional Programme, UN Women Albania in close collaboration with Austrian Development Agency (ADA) organized a three-day study visit of government officials from the Ministry of Finance, Ministry of Interior, Ministry of Labour Social Affairs and Equal Opportunities (MoLSAEO) as well as representatives of Department of Strategies and Donor Coordination, to Vienna, Austria.

The objective of the study visit was to exchange experiences and get direct exposure to concrete cases from Austria on the ways and means to mainstream gender in policies and budget using GRP tools and methodologies.  Austria is the first European country to introduce GRP in the Constitution (2009) as well as in the Federal Budget Act to enter into force in 2013. In various meetings with representatives of Austrian Government (Federal Chancellery, Ministry of Finance, Ministry for Women and the Civil Service, Department of Tax Policy and Tax Legislation, Directorate of Population Statistics and Social Statistics, Women’s Department at Vienna Municipality, Federal Ministry of Labour, Social Affairs and Consumer Protection and Austrian Development Agency Headquarters), the Albanian delegation had the opportunity to know more on GRP and budget reform, implementation and monitoring mechanisms of gender budgeting, quality management system, and campaign information at local level.