Presentation given at the OECD Gender Budgeting Experts Meeting, Vienna, Austria. 18-19 June 2018 For more information see http://www.oecd.org/gov/budgeting/gender-budgeting-experts-meeting-2018.htm

1. GENDER BUDGETING
IN AUSTRIA
OECD OBSERVATIONS
Ronnie Downes
Deputy Head of Budgeting and Public
Expenditure Division
Public Governance Directorate, OECD
Ronnie.DOWNES@oecd.org
2nd SBO Experts Meeting on Gender Budgeting and
OECD Roundtable on Better Governance for Gender Equality
18-20 June 2018
Vienna

2. Background: the Austrian Budget
Reform
Efficiency
Transparency
True & fair
view
Outcome
orientation
Four new constitutional
principles of budgeting
+ built-in evaluation process

3. Outcome orientation
• Advanced system of outcome-oriented impact assessments, both ex
post and ex ante.
• Room for greater integration of the assessment results and
performance information, and further transparency about the analytical
findings.
• Well structured performance budgeting system, but lacks close
alignment with high-level economic and budget priorities and with
international benchmarks.
• The strengths and weakness of Austria’s system of performance
budgeting are also highly relevant for the national system of gender
budgeting.
Austrian Budget Reform:
Key Observations II

4. Gender Budgeting was part of the
Austrian Budget Reform …
Gender
Equality
Source: Austrian Federal Ministry of Finance

5. Austria’s distinctive system of gender
budgeting is designed to:
a) require all ministries to consider gender
equality both in their high-level goal-
setting and in more detailed specification
of outputs and objectives
b) assess ex ante and ex post impacts on
gender equality in the design of policies
c) account for achievements in gender
equality goals and objectives via the
annual performance reports.
…and it is now well integrated into
Austria’s performance budgeting system

6. Gender Equality in the Budget and
Performance Management Structure
Source: Austrian Federal Ministry of Finance

7. Getting the system of performance
budgeting right for gender budgeting
 Design the Government Programme with a view to its fundamental role
as an “anchor” for outcome-orientation in policy-making and in
budgeting.
 Consider internationally comparable benchmark indicators first
when developing the indicators for each budget chapter.
 Adopt a more participative, inclusive approach to the setting and
design of outcome objectives and indicators.
 Streamline the performance reports to make their key messages
more visible and accessible to parliamentarians and the public.
The strengths and weakness of Austria’s system of performance budgeting are
also highly relevant for the national system of gender budgeting:

8. • Develop the financial management IT system to allow
tracking of the level of resources associated with the
gender objectives and make this information available in
the Gender Statement.
• Further engage the Ministry for gender equality in the task of
coordinating and articulating the whole-of-government
approach to promoting gender equality.
• This joined-up approach should in turn be reflected in the
gender objectives identified and prioritised by the line
ministries.
• Continue to develop a comprehensive set of gender
disaggregated data to improve the body of evidence
underpinning gender objectives and indicators and gender
impact assessments.
Suggested steps for reform of Austria’s
gender budgeting system

9. THANK YOU
Ronnie Downes
Deputy Head of Budgeting and Public Expenditure Division
Public Governance Directorate, OECD
Ronnie.DOWNES@oecd.org