As the European Union prepares to reform its €140 billion annual budget, non-profit organisations dedicated to gender equality are playing a pivotal role in shaping the future of public spending. In 2023, only 11% of EU funds were directed towards promoting women’s rights, a figure that advocacy groups argue must significantly increase if gender equality is to be realised. The planned budget overhaul, set to begin in June 2024, represents a crucial opportunity to implement gender-responsive budgeting, a practice that non-profit organisations believe could transform economic and social landscapes across the EU.
One of the leading voices in the campaign for gender budgeting is the European Women’s Lobby (EWL), a coalition of non-profit organisations that has long advocated for equitable spending policies. Mirta Baselovic, a spokesperson for the EWL, explains that gender budgeting ensures taxpayer money addresses the specific challenges faced by women and girls. By factoring in unpaid care work, underrepresentation in leadership, and unequal access to services like healthcare and education, the EU can correct systemic imbalances.
The European Institute for Gender Equality (EIGE) is another key organisation pushing for reform. Through research and policy analysis, EIGE has demonstrated that gender budgeting not only advances women’s rights but also strengthens the economy. According to EIGE’s data, achieving gender equality could boost per-capita economic growth by up to 9.6% and generate over 10 million additional jobs by 2050. Helena Morais, a researcher at EIGE, emphasises that gender budgeting is not just about fairness but also about sound economic policy. “It’s a tool that makes economic sense and ensures long-term sustainability,” she says.
The European Social Fund+ and Erasmus+, both of which have strong links to gender equality objectives, are examples of EU programmes already working with non-profit organisations to ensure women’s needs are met. For instance, Erasmus+, which promotes educational exchanges, collaborates with grassroots organisations to ensure women and girls benefit equally from opportunities. By partnering with these groups, the EU can more effectively target its spending to meet gender goals.
One of the central challenges, as highlighted by non-profit groups, is ensuring that gender budgeting becomes a standard practice across all member states. The European Women’s Lobby and EIGE have consistently advocated for mandatory gender equality plans as a condition for accessing EU funds. This has already been implemented in Horizon Europe, the EU’s flagship research and innovation programme, but experts argue that it should extend to all financial programmes.
The Smurfit Kappa Foundation, a non-profit focused on addressing inequality, is another organisation pushing for more inclusive budgeting practices. By funding community projects that support women in education and entrepreneurship, the foundation demonstrates the importance of gender-focused investment. As the EU revises its budget, there is a growing expectation that organisations like Smurfit Kappa will partner with EU institutions to channel funds into initiatives that foster gender parity.
Beyond the EU’s borders, gender budgeting also aligns with broader global movements for gender equality, particularly within the framework of the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). SDG 5, which calls for the empowerment of women and girls, has inspired countless non-profits across Europe to press for a stronger commitment to gender equality within the EU’s financial frameworks. Organisations like the Anna Lindh Foundation and other pan-European associations focused on intercultural dialogue and equality have been vocal in urging the EU to adopt a more gender-sensitive approach to its public spending.
These non-profit organisations are not only advocating for more gender-responsive EU budgets but also working on the ground to collect data and deliver projects that directly impact women’s lives. The European Commission has recognised the value of these collaborations, noting that non-profit involvement in budget design ensures that public funds are used more effectively. In the upcoming budget cycle, the Commission has proposed amendments that will require gender-disaggregated data collection, an initiative supported by non-profits as a step towards