TITLE: Gender Sensitive Budgets in Latin America: Accountability for Equity and Transparency
AUTHOR: UNIFEM-Andean Region
DATE: 2004

The following document was produced by the UNIFEM-Andean region as part of its wordwide program in "Strengthening Economic Governance: Gender Analysis Applied to Governmental Budgets." The document, Gender Sensitive Budgets in Latin America: Accountability for Equity and Transparency, brings together some of the experiences in gender-sensitive budget analysis in Bolivia, Ecuador, and Peru.

Gender Sensitive Budgets in Latin America: Accountability for Equity and Transparency

Fundar Centro de Análisis e Investigación, October 2004.

This study of HIV/AIDS, human rights and budgets in five Latin American countries is part of an international initiative, coordinated by the AIDS Budget Unit of Idasa in South Africa and generously supported by SIDA (Swedish International Development Cooperation Agency). The regional coordination for Latin America was undertaken by Fundar.

The report aims to establish a link between two fundamental aspects: on one hand, the obligations of states with regard to human rights and the steps necessary to ensure that all residents enjoy these rights; and, on the other, the public nature of the resources that states devote to this end. In addition, a key objective of this research project was to empower civil society to undertake such budget analysis.

HIV/AIDS and Human Rights: Public budgets for the epidemic...

Title: Mexico 

Author: UNIFEM 

Date:2002-2005 

The gender budget work in Mexico has centered around the Ministry of Health, examining the administrative and programmatic budget, and applying a sex-disaggregated analysis methodology. DESafíos1 is a regional programme developed by UNIFEM, within the human rights framework, to promote and protect women’s social, economic, civil, and political rights. The gender budget programme seeks to establish the basis for incorporating the gender-equality perspective into national programmes and, consequently, into federal and municipal government budgets. However, the current country budgets lack gender sensitivity and do not reflect a move forward towards gender equality. Thus, the UNIFEM Office for Mexico, Central America, the Dominican Republic and Cuba, has actively promoted the design of gender-sensitive information systems, as useful instruments for the incorporation of the gender-equality perspective into public policies, from the first stages of drafting budget allocations and evaluation of activities.

 Title: Peru

Author: UNIFEM

Date: 2001-2005

This report documents the outputs, activities, success indicators, lessons learned and challenges in gender budget analysis at the local level in Peru. The last decade in Latin America has seen great movement towards State reform and decentralization. In this context, a significant number of local governments are working to develop and implement citizen participation mechanisms in order to ensure transparency and accountability. The Popular Women’s Federation (FEPOMUVES) played a very active role in the participatory planning and budgeting process. Since then, UNIFEM established new strategic partnerships allowing upscaling of this experience to other municipalities. Commitments include gender equality and poverty eradication, presenting a unique opportunity to work on new forms of local planning, budgeting and reporting. Within these processes, correctly identifying and addressing gender inequalities and women’s specific needs and interests is critical to ensuring democratic and equitable development.