Closing gaps in labour force participation and working hours is estimated to result in an average boost of 9.2% to GDP across OECD countries by 2060.
Gender budgeting
Gender budgeting is a tool that governments can use to help close gender gaps. When implemented effectively, gender budgeting helps expose how gender inequalities may have inadvertently become embedded in public policies so that resources can be allocated more equally. It also helps prioritise budget measures that will support the achievement of key gender objectives.
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Key messages
Gender budgeting is increasingly practised in OECD countries and is now a budgeting tool used to help close gender gaps in 61% of member countries.
OECD best practices aim to guide countries towards the core elements which will help raise the standard of gender budgeting. Through implementing these best practices, countries can hope to see greater consideration of gender equality in budget decision-making, helping drive outcomes in relation to national gender priorities.
Context
The number of OECD countries practising gender budgeting has almost doubled in recent years.
The number of OECD countries practising gender budgeting has almost doubled in recent years. In 2022, over 60% of OECD countries (23 countries out of 38) used gender budgeting.
The OECD has set out seven best practices for gender budgeting.
The best practices draw on gender budgeting practices in Member countries and the OECD’s work with countries in designing and implementing gender budgeting.
OECD Best Practices for Gender Budgeting
1. Strengthening the link between budgeting and key gender equality objectives
2. Ensuring gender budgeting is sustainable beyond political cycles
3. Incorporating gender budgeting into the overarching budget framework, with leadership from the central budget authority
4. Embedding gender budgeting tools at all stages of the budget cycle
5. Underpinning gender budgeting with strong data and analysis
6. Supporting gender budgeting implementation through capacity building
7. Using gender budgeting to reinforce governmental transparency and accountability
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