Interview: “We only can accelerate process towards a better world and towards a thriving economy if we advance investing in women and girls”

Dr. Elisabeth Klatzer is an international expert on gender responsive budgeting and holds a PhD in economics from Vienna University, and a MA in Public Administration from Harvard Kennedy School of Government.  

Dr. Klatzer has a vast international experience working on gender responsive budgeting projects and training programs for various government agencies and stakeholders. Over 20 years of work experience, she has strong expertise in conceptualizing approaches on institutionalizing gender mainstreaming, gender equality and gender responsive budgeting (GRB).  Currently, with the Implementation of Gender-Responsive Planning and Budgeting in Turkey project, co-funded by UN Women and the European Union, Klatzer explains why gender-responsive budgeting is a accelerator for progress towards gender equality. 

In what ways can gender responsive budgeting serve as a tool to accelerate progress towards achieving gender equality by 2030? 

In a way it’s very simple: we need to make sure that there is enough money for priorities of women and priorities to end the existing inequalities and gender gaps. Gender Responsive Budgeting (GRB) is the approach that helps us to keep the focus on this and re-organize public finance to meet these goal. 

And we know, that in an economy there are enough resources to finance that. It is just a question in whose hands the money is, who contributes how much to public resources and who is benefiting from it.

Even though progress towards the goal to achieving gender equality by 2030 has been slow, we can achieve it, if we concentrate our efforts on it. If we make clear what economic research is telling us: achieving gender equality will benefit us all, not only disadvantaged women, but all people in a society. And, it is necessary for a thriving economy, and for inclusive growth.

With many countries expected to curb public spending by 2025 due to conflicts and economic challenges, how can gender responsive budgeting mitigate the negative impacts on women and ensure continued investment in essential public services and social protection?

Yes, indeed, it is of utmost importance that we do not repeat the mistakes in the past: every time there are economic difficulties – whatever the cause of it, e.g. financial speculation, economic mismanagement, or in the aftermath of natural disasters or a pandemic at world scale – every time we make the same mistake: the mistake of cutting public expenditures, and a much larger mistake: around the world, governments are making the mistake of cutting expenditures that are most important to the economic well-being of people. And again and again, this has exacerbated the economic crises and crises of people, reducing long-term perspectives of growth. 

What we need instead during difficult economic times, is a strong investment in care sectors and in gender equality. Such investments need to be understood as productive investments – and not “social spending”, which mistakenly is a currently often used label. Such investments help to get out of crises, create employment, enhance perspectives for gender equality and support getting out of the crisis. We know from economic research that these are sectors of crucial importance to increase long-term productivity, income as well as gender equality. 

Well done GRB work can help to guide governments to make the right investment decisions and avoid cutting of sectors which have a large equality-enhancing impact. Because cutting in these sectors would be harmful, both to people, and to the economy.

Considering the disproportionate impact of the current economic system on women, how can gender responsive budgeting contribute to reducing poverty and inequality?

First of all, GRB helps us realize, that it is gender equality and women who make crucial contributions to a thriving economy. The continuous and systematic application of GRB analysis and gender impact assessments is a worthwhile and helpful undertaking in this context. Investing in women and girls is key to ending poverty in this world. 

And secondly, putting women in the drivers’ seat of decision making about the economy – equally besides men – is crucial on the way into the future we need to survive well.

Thirdly, we need to realize that there is an urgent need to change the current economic system, and GRB helps to realize that by pointing the way towards the right public investments for sustainable, inclusive economies. An economic system focused on caring for each other and caring for the environment is needed, moving beyond exploitation. 

Looking ahead, what are the emerging trends and opportunities in the field of gender responsive budgeting, and how can stakeholders leverage these to advance gender equality and women's rights globally?

What we have achieved with GRB during the last decades, is an international recognition of the importance of gender perspectives in budgetary decision-making processes. 

Now we are moving towards recognizing that GRB is not only about how, but essentially about what we do with public budgets: There is emerging knowledge – and consensus building – about the importance of putting gender equality and care economy at the core of public investment priorities, and as guiding principles in economic decision making. We can create the world as a better place to live, if we increasingly adhere to international benchmarks related to key gender equality enhancing reforms. Such transformance gender reforms include adequate investments in girls’ education, in high quality early childhood education and childcare, in women’s full economic empowerment and independence, at equal foot with men, in equal wages and equality in social protection for all, in eradicating gender based violence, in reducing and equal sharing of unpaid care, household and community work between men and women, and other such reforms; if we strengthen these emerging trends and opportunities, we support creating blossoming economies.

We all need to understand well that we ONLY, and I repeat, we only can accelerate process towards a better world and towards a thriving economy if we advance investing in women and girls. It is up to all people and actors to act upon this understanding. Let us not forget that economic policies that benefit women and men equally are one of the most important pathways to a prosperous future.