Despite decades of international commitments, gender inequality remains deeply entrenched in labour markets. According to the ILO brief Women and the Economy: 30 Years After the Beijing Declaration (2025), women are far more likely than men to face decent-work deficits - such as the gender pay gap, informal or insecure employment, and limited social protection - and they remain concentrated in lowerpaid occupations, while shouldering a disproportionate share of unpaid care responsibilities.

Addressing these structural inequalities requires more than isolated commitments; it demands genderresponsive resource-allocation choices across every type of institution. Gender-responsive budgeting (GRB) offers the practical methodology for doing so, integrating a gender lens into each financial decision - whether in a national treasury, a local authority, a civil-society organization, or a private company.

GRB is not a separate “budget for women.” Instead, it is a systematic process applied throughout the entire budget cycle - from planning and allocation to implementation and evaluation - to ensure that resources benefit everyone equitably. By moving beyond gender-neutral approaches and embedding a gender lens at every stage, GRB enables institutions to translate equality commitments into informed, inclusive, and measurable financial action.

This budgeting approach directly advances Sustainable Development Goal 5 -achieving gender equality and empowering all women and girls - whose Indicator 5.c.1 measures the proportion of countries with systems to track and make public allocations for gender equality and women’s empowerment. Yet the potential of GRB extends well beyond the public sector: any organization with gender-equality commitments - public, private or non-profit - can adopt GRB, mobilizing and aligning resources for gender equality wherever they are generated, earmarked or ultimately spent.

This introductory, foundation-level course is designed for participants with little or no prior experience in gender-responsive budgeting. It offers a practical entry point, equipping learners with the knowledge and tools they need to start integrating a gender perspective into budgeting and planning - whether in government institutions or other organisational settings.

The programme builds confidence through interactive modules, real-world case studies, weekly exercises, and a capstone project tailored to each participant’s work environment.

Throughout the course, learners examine GRB from two angles:

• Public sector: how to weave gender considerations into national budgets, policy cycles, and fiscal planning.
• Organizational level: how NGOs, private companies, and international bodies can embed gender equality objectives in their internal budgeting and planning processes.

By the end, participants will be ready to take their first steps in applying GRB across a variety of institutional contexts.

• Define the core concepts of GRB - its purpose, principles, and link to gender equality
• Explain how gender inequality affects budget outcomes and why applying a gender lens is essential in both public-sector and organisational budgeting
• Identify gaps or barriers in existing budgeting processes that hinder the integration of GRB
• Assess current budgeting and planning frameworks to pinpoint opportunities for introducing GRB tools and strategies

This course is designed for professionals across sectors who are involved in budgeting, planning, policy, or gender-related work and are looking to integrate gender equality into financial decision-making processes. It is particularly relevant for:

• Public‑sector institutions and government agencies involved in budget development, financial planning, or policy design
• International and regional development agencies, multilateral organisations, or donor institutions supporting or financing gender budgeting initiatives
• NGOs, civil society organisations, and social enterprises working on gender advocacy, program implementation, or mainstreaming efforts
• Private‑sector professionals interested in aligning internal budgeting and planning processes with gender‑equality objectives
• Gender focal points, advisers, and consultants seeking practical tools to introduce or strengthen GRB in their work
• Employers’ and workers’ representatives committed to advancing equity, inclusion, and fair resource allocation within organisations

No prior experience in gender-responsive budgeting is required - just a commitment to advancing gender equality through more inclusive and accountable planning and budgeting.

This course combines flexibility with expert guidance through the ITCILO eCampus, offering an engaging and practical learning experience:

• Self-paced modules with interactive readings, practical tools, and exercises to support foundational learning
• Live sessions featuring global experts and practitioners sharing real-world GRB applications
• Peer learning forums that encourage exchange, reflection, and collaboration across sectors and regions
• Personalized support and feedback from a dedicated GRB Expert throughout the course
• A final practical activity in which participants synthesize their learning and present their insights in a live session

By the end of the course, participants will gain both conceptual understanding and practical skills to begin integrating gender-responsive budgeting into their own organizational or policy environments.

Partial fellowships are available for eligible candidates from Official Development Assistance-receiving countries. Consult the updated recipients’ list. If you are applying for funding, please specify so in your application form

The course will be conducted in English, and it will be held fully online.

The tuition fee for this course is €1,190.