Gender-Responsive Budgeting in Latin America: Regional Learning to Advance Financing for Gender Equality

Over the past 15 years, Latin America saw an emerging and increasing number of Gender-Responsive Budget Initiatives (GRBIs). In this period, it is possible to identify a learning process that spanned initial gender budget analysis carried out since the late 1990s to effective and real changes in budget processes pursuing GRB institutionalization. In order to gain some insights about such learning processes, this study analyzes a selected group of 21 GRBIs. It was grounded on the hypothesis that, despite the great diversity that characterizes them, it is possible to identify certain patterns followed in the process of institutionalization that finally lead to improvements in financing for gender equality. Thus, the study sought to respond to two questions: What were the key common elements that allowed to move a GRBI from an “experimental” experience to an institutional regular practice? How has such progress in terms of institutionalization finally led to improvements in financing for gender equality? After presenting the methodology and scope, the chapter introduces some of the main elements of the regional context that surround the implementation of the GRBIs, briefly reviews the common strategies used, presents a synthesis of their main achievements, and finalizes with the conclusions.