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The Journey to Gender-Responsive Budgeting: Lessons Learned from Higher Education

Author

Listed:
  • Chiara Oppi

    (Center for Socio-Economic Dynamics and Co-operation, University of Bergamo, 24127 Bergamo, Italy)

  • Caterina Cavicchi

    (Department of Economics and Management, University of Ferrara, 44121 Ferrara, Italy)

  • Emidia Vagnoni

    (Department of Economics and Management, University of Ferrara, 44121 Ferrara, Italy)

Abstract

The United Nations Sustainable Development Goals Agenda includes gender equality as one of its 17 goals and emphasizes the importance of supporting women’s empowerment to meet the SDGs. Gender-responsive budgeting (GRB) can help achieve gender equality in organizations, but there continue to be limitations on exploiting its full potential. Further research is needed, especially in the public sector and at higher education institutions. This paper investigates the development of the GRB process and the related reporting practices, as well as the potential to fully integrate it into the university’s strategic policies at the University of Ferrara. The paper is based on a qualitative content analysis of annual GRB reports from 2011 to 2018. The results show that, during this period, GRB at the university changed from playing an accountability role to having a performance measurement role. Although GRB has become more relevant inside the organization, the extent of the integration with the university strategy and the budgeting cycle remains limited, which hampers the strategic relevance of GRB.

Suggested Citation

  • Chiara Oppi & Caterina Cavicchi & Emidia Vagnoni, 2021. "The Journey to Gender-Responsive Budgeting: Lessons Learned from Higher Education," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 13(4), pages 1-23, February.
    • Handle: RePEc:gam:jsusta:v:13:y:2021:i:4:p:2019-:d:498982
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    1. Maria-Glòria Barberà-Mariné & Laura Fabregat-Aibar & Valeria Ferreira & Antonio Terceño, 2024. "One Step Away from 2030: An Assessment of the Progress of Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) in the European Union [A un paso de 2030: Una evaluación del progreso de los Objetivos de Desarrollo S," The European Journal of Development Research, Palgrave Macmillan;European Association of Development Research and Training Institutes (EADI), vol. 36(6), pages 1372-1397, December.

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