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Breaking Barriers: Gender Budgeting as a Catalyst for Inclusion

Introduction

 “Budgets are never gender-neutral. Every rupee spent or not spent reflects a policy choice.” – Diane Elson 

•  Gender budgeting is a policy approach that incorporates a gender perspective into all stages of the budget process to ensure that public spending addresses the specific needs of women and promotes gender equality. 
•  This approach recognizes that budgets are not neutral and that every expenditure decision reflects a policy choice that can impact different genders in different ways. 
•  By integrating a gender perspective into budgetary decisions, gender budgeting aims to promote gender equity and ensure that the specific needs of women are addressed in public spending. 

Fiscal Commitment & Budgetary Trends

• Gender Budget allocation has seen a significant increase from ₹0.98 lakh crore in 2014-15 to ₹4.49 lakh crore in 2025-26. 
• Share in total Union Budget has risen from 5.46% to 8.86%, indicating a stronger policy focus on women. 
•  This trend reflects a consistent government intent to embed gender equity into fiscal planning and prioritization. 

Evolution of Gender Budgeting in India

Structural Framework of India’s Gender Budget

• Part A. Schemes with 100% allocation to women (e.g., maternity benefits, women shelters). 
• Part B. Schemes with ≥30% allocation to women (e.g., rural employment, health). 
• Part C. Schemes with <30% allocation="" but="" with="" indirect="" benefits="" to="" women,="" reflecting="" a="" move="" towards="" comprehensive="" gender="" inclusivity.="">
  

Top Ministries Allocating Over 30% to Gender Initiatives (FY 2025–26)

•  Ministry of Women and Child Development – 81.79% 
•  Department of Rural Development – 65.76% 
•  Department of Food & Public Distribution – 50.92% 
•  More than 10 ministries are now allocating over 30% of their budgets to gender-responsive schemes, indicating the mainstreaming of Gender Responsive Budgeting (GRB) across various sectors. 

Institutional Mechanisms and Capacity Building

• Gender Budget Cells have been established in various Ministries and Departments to ensure the integration of gender considerations in budgetary processes. 
•  The inclusion of Gender Budget Statements (GBS) in fiscal documents is now mandatory, promoting transparency and accountability. 
•  The Ministry of Women and Child Development (MoWCD) leads capacity-building initiatives through the development of manuals, toolkits, and training workshops. 
•  The adoption of Gender Responsive Budgeting (GRB) by States encourages decentralized and context-specific solutions to gender issues. 

Use of Technology & Knowledge Platforms

•  The Gender Budgeting Knowledge Hub was launched in June 2025 as a digital repository to support policy practitioners, central and state departments, and civil society organizations. 
•  This platform facilitates knowledge sharing, cross-learning, and improved policy design in the realm of gender budgeting. 

Impact-Oriented Shift

•  There is a shift in focus from input-based assessment (funds spent) to outcome-based impact evaluation in gender budgeting. 
•  The emphasis on sex-disaggregated data collection helps in monitoring and understanding the real beneficiaries of schemes. 
•  The use of evaluative tools aids in refining schemes based on their effectiveness and reach. 

Influence on Policy Design

•  Gender Responsive Budgeting (GRB) has led to the emergence of women-centric schemes such as Stand-Up India and Beti Bachao. 
•  Existing schemes like MGNREGA and PMAY are being restructured with a gender lens to enhance their effectiveness for women. 
•  GRB encourages multi-sectoral approaches that integrate health, education, skilling, and entrepreneurship to address gender issues holistically. 

Global Recognition and Comparative Standing

•  India has been recognized for its institutionalization of Gender Responsive Budgeting (GRB) compared to countries like Bangladesh and Rwanda. 
•  India stands out for its integration of GRB at multiple governance levels and the rigor of its policy framework. 
•  However, India is still evolving in areas such as targeted outcome assessment and intersectional budgeting within GRB. 

Challenges Ahead

•  The quality and reliability of sex-disaggregated data vary across different ministries, posing a challenge for effective GRB implementation. 
•  There is a risk of tokenism in Part C schemes with low impact unless accompanied by thorough gender audits. 
•  Greater convergence with Sustainable Development Goal 5 (Gender Equality) targets in planning is needed to enhance the effectiveness of GRB. 
•  Intra-gender disparities, such as those based on rural/urban divides, caste, and disability among women, need to be given more attention in GRB. 

Relevant Data & Facts

•  The 15th Finance Commission allocated ₹5,000 crore from 2021 to 2026 for gender-based performance incentives to states. 
•  The female labor force participation rate (LFPR) increased to 37.0% in 2023-24, up from 23.3% in 2017-18, reflecting the impact of women-focused schemes. 
•  The Pradhan Mantri Matru Vandana Yojana (PMMVY) provided maternity benefits of ₹5,000 to over 3.2 crore women since 2017. 
•  The National Rural Livelihoods Mission (NRLM) has integrated 9 crore women into over 83 lakh Self-Help Groups (SHGs) by March 2024, which is crucial for rural empowerment. 
•  Part C Gender Tagging was introduced in 2024-25, including schemes like Jal Jeevan Mission and Smart Cities. 
•  In the Global Gender Gap Index 2024, India ranked 127 out of 146 countries, showing significant gaps in economic and political spheres. 
•  The Mahila Kisan Sashaktikaran Pariyojana (MKSP) has reached 37 lakh women farmers, integrating gender considerations into agriculture budgeting. 

Rwanda: Global Best Practice in Gender Budgeting

• Constitutional Backing: Rwanda’s Constitution mandates gender equality and budgeting, establishing a legal framework for gender-responsive policies post-1994. 
• Mandatory Gender Budget Statements (GBS): All ministries in Rwanda are required to submit GBS alongside their annual budgets, ensuring accountability and focus on gender outcomes. 
• Independent Gender Monitoring Office (GMO): An independent office monitors compliance with gender budgeting norms and evaluates outcomes across sectors, enhancing oversight. 
• Sector-Specific Gender Indicators: Each ministry utilizes tailored gender indicators relevant to their sector (e.g., health, education, agriculture) to track progress and outcomes. 
• Gender-Responsive Guidelines: The Ministry of Finance issues Gender Responsive Budgeting (GRPB) Guidelines to standardize practices across ministries, promoting consistency. 
• High Political Representation: Rwanda boasts the world’s highest female parliamentary representation, with 64% of MPs being women, which influences gender-sensitive policymaking. 
• Outcome-Driven Allocation: Over 40% of Rwanda’s budget directly contributes to gender equality outcomes, reflecting a commitment to impactful spending. 
• Women’s Land Ownership: Gender-focused land reforms have increased women’s land ownership from 10% in 2000 to 26% in 2020, empowering women economically. 
• Health Impact: Targeted investments have led to a 70% reduction in maternal mortality from 2000 to 2020, showcasing the impact of gender-responsive health policies. 
• Global Model: Rwanda exemplifies how legal mandates, monitoring, and outcome tracking can make gender budgeting effective and impactful, rather than merely symbolic. 

Indian Case Study – Odisha & Kerala’s GRB Models

• Odisha: Odisha was the first state in India to adopt a Gender Budgeting Mission in 2020, with technical support from UN Women. The state integrated gender budgeting into its budget circular, requiring departments to submit Gender Budget Statements annually. Odisha also developed sector-specific Gender Budget Guidelines and linked them with outcome budgets, ensuring a focus on gender outcomes. 
• Kerala: Kerala institutionalized Gender Responsive Budgeting (GRB) through its State Planning Board and local governments (Panchayats) since the early 2000s. The state’s GRB initiatives led to the development of women-centric micro plans in various sectors such as health, livelihoods, and the care economy. For example, the Kudumbashree program in Kerala focuses on women’s empowerment and poverty alleviation, integrating gender considerations into local planning and budgeting. 

Legal Linkages – Constitution & Gender Budgeting

• Article 14: Guarantees equality before the law, which Gender Responsive Budgeting (GRB) supports by ensuring equitable access to state resources for all genders. 
• Article 15(3): Allows special provisions for women and children, forming the basis for targeted budgetary support to these groups under GRB. 
• Article 39(a): Advocates for equal rights to adequate means of livelihood for men and women, guiding employment-related schemes under GRB. 
• Article 39(d): Promotes equal pay for equal work, relevant to employment-linked schemes such as MGNREGA and PMAY, which are restructured with a gender lens. 
• Article 42: Directs the state to ensure maternity relief, implemented through schemes like PMMVY, which fall under the Gender Budget. 

SDG Mapping – Gender Budget & Global Goals

• SDG 5 (Gender Equality): GRB contributes to targets like ending discrimination (5.1) and ensuring women’s participation in leadership (5.5) by directing resources to.