Advancing Gender Responsive Budgeting in Jordan

The UN Women-supported initiative on Gender Responsive Budgeting (GRB) in Jordan aims to enhance women’s rights and empowerment through gender responsive government planning, programming and budgeting. The initiative received support at the highest levels of government, through active participation in the national GRB Network and the inclusion of GRB principles in the National Budget Circular and templates. As a result of these ongoing efforts, the needs of women and girls are increasingly being reflected in Jordan’s government spending and gender priorities continue to be integrated throughout the budgeting process.

Mr. Firas Sou’b, Gender Focal Point of the Government of Jordan’s General Budget Department, recalled how the Network enhanced the professional and institutional capacity of the entities involved. Founded in 2013 as a joint initiative between UN Women and the Jordanian National Commission for Women (JNCW), the Network consists of representatives from the government and civil society organizations. As an active member of the network, Mr. Sou’b participated in meetings and capacity building workshops on Gender Responsive Budgeting. The sessions gave network members the opportunity to contribute directly to the government’s budget circular and respective budget templates.

According to Mr. Sou’b, the initiative provided the government’s General Budget Department (GBD) with valuable insights to better understand and apply GRB. “UN Women's capacity building programme combined theory with practical training” Sou’b mentions, including a study tour to Egypt to share best practices on how to implement GRB principles. In addition, meetings and discussions within the GRB Network, provided action oriented results that helped shape the Budget Circular. General Budget Department staff is now acting confidently as trainers for MP’s and Ministries staff, while continuing to build their own capacity and confidence in transferring GRB know-how.

As a result of the capacity building received, the government’s Budget Circular has been designed to be gender sensitive and legalized by the office of the Prime Minister. The Budget Circular instructs Government of Jordan ministries to include budget allocations for women and children. The annual budget allocations for women’s key priorities in Jordan increased from 1.3 billion JOD in 2013 to 1.6 billion JOD in 2015.