11th Barbara Prammer Symposium

“Gender budgeting is a prerequisite for policies that aim to ensure equal rights, responsibilities, and opportunities for all people.“

– Barbara Prammer

Public spending—such as on public transport, playgrounds, or social projects—has a profound impact on daily life. For those aiming to advance equality, effective tools are essential, and gender budgeting is one such powerful instrument. Where does funding go, who benefits, and how can budgets be made gender-inclusive?

The Fourth World Conference on Women and the resulting Beijing Declaration adopted 30 years ago marked a major milestone for advancing women’s rights. Gender mainstreaming and, by extension, gender budgeting were set as goals. Whilst these principles have, as a result, been enshrined in the EU Treaties in 1997, Austria became the first country worldwide to include gender budgeting in its constitution. Since 2009, federal, state, and municipal budgets are required to strive for gender equality. However, the journey from goals to implementation remains challenging.

Which societal groups benefit from government initiatives, laws, subsidies, or tax incentives? How are public funds allocated? Existing international legal frameworks and the Austrian constitution provide a clear mandate, and this event sought to bring it to life. Together with experts from the EU, federal, and municipal levels, we discussed the prerequisites for a feminist and gender-equitable fiscal and budgetary policy.

The agenda is available in German here.

Listen to the keynote speech by Diane Elson

Diane Elson, Professor Emerita of the University of Essex, delivered an impactful keynote address titled “Budgeting for Equality: Mapping the transformative potential of gender-responsive budgeting.”

During her address, she underscored the transformative potential of integrating gender equality into fiscal policies, arguing that most governments approach gender budgeting too narrowly: “They focus only on expenditures explicitly targeted to women and they don’t look at taxation and macroeconomics. They only see gender budgeting as a cost, not as an investment”. She highlighted the broader societal and economic benefits of investing in social infrastructure to advance equity.

About the Barbara Prammer Symposium

The Barbara Prammer Symposium is an annual event dedicated to exploring pressing social and political issues through the lens of equality and inclusion, inspired by the legacy of Barbara Prammer, a trailblazer for women’s rights and democratic values in Austria. The symposium brings together experts, policymakers, and activists to discuss challenges and opportunities in advancing gender equality, with a particular focus on progressive policies and practices such as gender budgeting. By fostering dialogue and collaboration, the event seeks to drive meaningful action toward a fairer and more equitable society.

For more information regarding the project and this event, please do not hesitate to contact Julia Wild, Project Officer (julia.wild@feps-europe.eu)