The (mis)implementation of gender budgeting in Belgium: typical federal administrative challenges or apathetic design?

In 2007 Belgium became one of the first countries to legislate for gender budgeting. This appeared to signal a genuine political commitment to gender equality as women’s parliamentary representation steadily increased, culminating in gender-equal cabinets and the first women prime minister. Policy priorities have also included significantly reducing the gender pay gap. However, the scope of gender budgeting continues to be limited and any effects seem to be modest at best, and with no signs of improvement. While various gender budgeting tools exist, Belgium has only been using one—ex ante gender impact assessment based on binary gender—and only in relation to a relatively small part of the federal budget. Among the other five federated entities, progress is even more deficient. More encouragingly, the dedicated federal agency, known in English as the Institute for the equality of women and men, has been evaluating the implementation of gender budgeting biannually, in addition to establishing a network of ambassadors across the civil service and providing ongoing training and support. This study draws upon these evaluation reports, as well as budget data, and interviews with key civil servants to consider whether and to what extent gender budgeting in Belgium needs to be substantially redesigned, or whether and to what extent Belgium’s complicated administrative structure and tenuous political dynamics presents greater challenges that would inhibit future implementation of a new approach. How did a once pioneering country in Europe stall and can momentum be reclaimed?