Gender Budget Watchdog Network in Western Balkans and Republic of Moldova

Donor: Austrian Development Agency

Overall Objective: To improve CSO participation in policy and budgeting processes in southeast Europe and the Republic of Moldova by using gender budget watchdog reporting and networking.

Specific Objectives:

SO1: To strengthen the capacity of CSOs to use GRB tools to evaluate the correspondence of policies and budgets with the needs of men and women SO2: To develop a network for effective policy advocacy, knowledge and information sharing and strengthened government accountability. SO3: To engage citizens and contribute to policy change leading to gendered reform of public finances

Summary & Activities: Gender Alliance for Development Center together with 6 other organizations is implementing the project in the Western Balkans and Republic of Moldova. The purpose of this project is that of mapping the current capacities of the civil society interested to use GRB in their work. The project plans to offer introductory, advanced training for CSOs on GRB; and for CSOs that have already had these skills and knowledge, as well as reach out to specific groups of organizations (think tanks and public finance organizations) and develop tailor-made training for them. The component encompasses training and mentoring session supported with sub-granting that will allow for the production of two types of products: gender budget policy appraisals and gender budget watchdog reports.  

Key Achievements under the Gender Responsive Budgeting Monitoring Network
Within the project “The Gender Responsive Budgeting Monitoring Network in the Western Balkans and the Republic of Moldova”, GADC, as one of the network’s national partners, trained 7 sub-grantee organizations in 7 municipalities: Tirana, Elbasan, Durrës, Lushnje, Fier, Vlora, and Korça. 

Since the beginning of implementation, GADC has strengthened the capacities and knowledge of these sub-grantees through training and tailored assistance. They now know how to collect gender-sensitive budget data, monitor local budgets, and advocate for gender-responsive budgeting in their municipalities.

During 2021:
- 7 sub-grantees successfully implemented their planned activities and submitted both narrative and financial reports to GADC.
- Sub-grantees produced 7 monitoring reports and 7 position papers outlining challenges and recommendations for 2022 municipal budgets.
- Several success stories emerged, demonstrating improved advocacy outcomes in each municipality.
- GADC engaged high-level institutional actors, including a meeting with the Advisor to the President of Albania, offering analysis on the 2022 State Budget and highlighting its lack of gender responsiveness.
- A wide audience attended the webinar “In Search of a Feminist Recovery after COVID-19”, increasing institutional and public attention to gender-responsive budgeting in Albania.

📎 Click here to watch the webinar
📎 Click here to read the monitoring reports
📎 Click here to explore the position papers