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The Case of Austria: Reflections on Strengthening the Potential of Gender Budgeting for Substantial Change

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Gender Budgeting in Europe

Abstract

Gender budgeting (GB) in Austria is often referred to as one of the “successful” cases of GB implementation in Europe. The system of integrating gender perspectives into performance budgeting is quite comprehensive and has received a lot of international attention. The chapter provides a critical analysis of GB implementation in Austria and considers whether this characterisation is justified.

Offering a brief outline of GB at the federal level, the first section explores key elements of GB implementation and the role of different actors with a particular focus on the role of civil society in the introductory phase of adopting GB and subsequently emerging strategies. The second section considers achievements and challenges exploring the extent to which the integration of GB in Public Finance Management Reform has been exemplary and how explicit gender equality objectives have been integrated. It considers the extent to which gender equality has been integral to the annual budget cycle and what evidence there is of such achievements, particularly in the context of austerity politics. The chapter concludes with some recommendations to strengthen GB in Austria and make it an effective instrument towards improving effective gender equality as mandated by the Austrian Constitution.

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Notes

  1. 1.

    Early GB work in Austria used the term “engendering budgets” to emphasise the active integration of gender perspectives and simultaneously changing budgets, but the term gender budgeting got more attention and is the most widely used term. In German, the term “Geschlechtergerechte Budgetgestaltung” is used as well, but gender budgeting is more widespread.

  2. 2.

    Law on the Care Fund (Pflegefondsgesetz), Bundesgesetzblatt Nr. 57/2011. Accessed June 02, 2017. https://www.ris.bka.gv.at/eli/bgbl/I/2011/57.

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Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Independent Researcher-Activist and International Consultant, Feminist Economics and Gender Responsive Budgeting, Vienna, Austria

    Elisabeth Klatzer

  2. Austrian Chamber of Labour, Vienna, Austria

    Romana Brait & Christa Schlager

Authors
  1. Elisabeth Klatzer
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  2. Romana Brait
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  3. Christa Schlager
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Editor information

Editors and Affiliations

  1. Glasgow Caledonian University, Glasgow, United Kingdom

    Angela O'Hagan

  2. Independent researcher-activist and international consultant, Feminist Economics and Gender Responsive Budgeting, Vienna, Austria

    Elisabeth Klatzer

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Klatzer, E., Brait, R., Schlager, C. (2018). The Case of Austria: Reflections on Strengthening the Potential of Gender Budgeting for Substantial Change. In: O'Hagan, A., Klatzer, E. (eds) Gender Budgeting in Europe. Palgrave Macmillan, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-64891-0_7

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-64891-0_7

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  • Publisher Name: Palgrave Macmillan, Cham

  • Print ISBN: 978-3-319-64890-3

  • Online ISBN: 978-3-319-64891-0

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