In the introductory speech, WPN coordinator Marija Obradovic said that gender responsive budgeting means the introduction of the gender equality principle into the budgeting process i.e. budget analysis from the standpoint of gender and the restructuring of income and expenses with the aim of advancing gender equality.

Obradovic informed the attending about the conclusions of the WPN Fourth National Conference stressing that one of them concerns the implementation of gender responsive budgeting and the importance of monitoring its implementation.

The second conclusion concerns the building of capacities and skills for the implementation of gender responsive budgeting in local self-governments and meeting the requirements to conduct gender analysis and gender statistics.

The third conclusion concerns the establishment of cooperation between councilwomen and local executive bodies tasked with budgetary drafting, while the fourth relates to the establishment of councilwomen’s networks and exchange of information with the Women’s Parliamentary Network.

Aleksandra Vladisavljevic informed the attending what was planned by the Law on the Budget System and what had been achieved this year, stressing that the almost 9-year process of introduction of gender responsive budgeting has culminated in the adoption of amendments and modifications to the Law on the Budget System when gender responsive budgeting became a component part and an obligation for all budget beneficiaries in the planning stage. She also said that gender responsive budgeting primarily concerns those activities where women predominate and that it does not mean a separate budget for women and men, rather it is a question of whether the existing allocation of funds equally reflects the needs of women and men in the community. She added that, when setting objectives and drafting programs, budget beneficiaries should utilise the relevant national strategies and analyses such as the 2016-2020 National Gender Equality Strategy and the accompanying 2016-2018 Action Plan.

Dr Aleksandra Tomic, Chairperson of the Committee on Finance, State Budget and Control of Public Spending, said that the National Conference, its panels and constructive discussions, had greatly contributed to the analysis of gender responsive budgeting. She said that, at the proposal of the Ministry of Economy and the Coordination Body for Gender Equality, 28 direct beneficiaries of the budget of the Republic of Serbia were included in the Gender Responsive Budgeting Pilot Project. Subsidising women entrepreneurs in agriculture, economy and science was a matter of special attention, said Tomic.

Nenad Jeftovic, representative of the Parliamentary Budget Office, said that the Office is the result of a joint project of the Westminster Foundation for Democracy and the National Assembly of the Republic of Serbia, aimed at providing expert and technical support primarily to the Committee on Finance, State Budget and Control of Public Spending, the MPs and the Support Service.

Ela Ki Simic, representative of the Ministry of Finance, said that of the 28 direct beneficiaries included in the Gender Responsive Budgeting Pilot Project, 25 met their legal requirements, and the process is expected to be completed by 2020, with the introduction of gender responsive budgeting for all budgetary beneficiaries at all levels of government.

The WPN members and NGO representatives conducted a constructive debate, voicing a number of proposals and suggestions how gender responsive budgeting could help improve the position of women in society.