Gender Budgeting: Bridging the Gender Gulf and Espousing Inclusive Development

Abstract

Generally, a budget of a nation involves a detailed elaboration of the forecasted receipts and expenditures of the government for a particular fiscal year. It can be broadly segregated into two categories viz., revenue budget and capital budget. In essence, a budget lays down the future trajectory of economic development of a nation, by prioritizing allocation of funds to various sectors of an economy based on the estimated receipts from various sources. The union budget lays thrust on inclusive development through wider participation of its citizens and in this process upliftment of women has to be a focal point and to facilitate the same the union budgets need to provide berth to gender budgeting. According to the Council of Europe, gender budgeting implies a gender-based assessment of budgets encompassing a gender perspective at all levels of the budgetary process and restructuring revenues and expenditures to foster gender parity. A gender-responsive budget means a budget that takes into consideration the gender patterns in society and allots funds to implement policies and programmes that will transform these patterns in a way that will assist in accomplishing more gender parity. In light of the paramount position gender budgeting has secured over a period of time, as it addresses the vital issue of the upliftment of women in all spheres of economic activities, this article makes an endeavour to explore the global and Indian scenario of gender budgeting and other significant aspects.