Gender Budgeting in India: An Instrument of Women's Empowerment

Sažetak

Gender budgeting is a transformative policy tool designed to integrate gender perspectives into fiscal planning and public expenditure, aiming to reduce gender disparities and promote women's empowerment. In India, gender budgeting was institutionalized in 2005-06 and has since evolved as a critical mechanism to address gender inequality through targeted resource allocation across sectors such as health, education, and economic development. This paper examines the historical development, policy frameworks, and practical implementation of gender budgeting in India. It evaluates the successes and challenges faced in mainstreaming gender concerns into budgeting processes and assesses the impact on women's socio-economic empowerment. The study finds that while gender budgeting has led to increased budgetary allocations for women-centric programs and improvements in some gender indicators, significant hurdles remain, including capacity constraints, data gaps, and inconsistent political will. The paper concludes with recommendations to strengthen institutional frameworks, enhance monitoring, and promote inclusive participation to maximize the potential of gender budgeting as an instrument of women's empowerment.