The Andalusian government’s commitment to equal opportunities for men and women has led to the deployment of gender budgeting in the region, based on the firm conviction that equality must be the ultimate goal of each and every public policy.
Consequently, since 2006 the budget of the Government of Andalusia has been accompanied by a Gender Impact Report. In addition to fulfilling a legal requirement, the Gender Impact Report provides the Government of Andalusia with a valuable assessment document that not only rationalises the budget information pertaining to its executive centres but also sheds light on the progress achieved in introducing gender-oriented budgeting for the different policies adopted.
The qualitative and quantitative analysis of the budget allocations for 2012 reveals the principal commitments underpinning the overall budget. For example, education—the cornerstone of a more competitive economy—is one of the top priorities of this budget. Another is the continued provision of social benefits and basic public services. Yet another is continued support for the productive sectors, businesses and self-employed professionals, specifically by facilitating access to credit and promoting internationalisation and innovative projects.
In general terms, the 2012 Report shows that the budget programmes classified as G+ -in other words, the ones that have been identified as strategic in promoting gender equality- account for 71.3% of the budget allocations. It also shows that the overall allocation for these programmes has risen by 1.8% in relation to 2011. This means that 7 out of every 10 euros in the 2012 budget will be spent on reinforcing equality between men and women.
