Implementation of the project has a goal to contribute to the introduction of procedures for gender sensitive budgeting in Bosnia and Herzegovina according to the Gender Action Plan in BiH, which also means realization of the part of the operational plan of gender mechanism in BiH in this area.
Association Vesta expects at least three specific results of this project:

• To increase capacities of non-governmental organizations and municipal officials in finances in the area of gender sensitive budgeting and to enable them to independently implement analysis of gender sensitive budgeting
• Observe gender sensitive budgets and conduct analysis in at least five municipalities in Bosnia and Herzegovina
• Inform the public in BiH about the process of gender sensitive budgeting, as well as with the analysis of municipal budgets with regard to gender.

In long term results of the project will contribute to creation of final version of Recommendations and Guidelines for Gender Sensitive Budgeting in BiH, which are the basis for introduction of gender sensitive procedures for preparation, proposal, adoption and implementation of budgets in all government levels.

Gender sensitive budgeting

Budget is the most important governmental / municipal instrument, because, without finances the policies cannot be successfully implemented. A democratic society enables equal participation of both genders in budget creation, what is not the case in BH. Thus, VESTA Association, in 2007, realized a project Gender sensitive budgeting. The project's aim was to contribute to the introduction of gender sensitive budgeting procedures in BH, according to Gender action plan of BH, what at the same time meant realization of a part of an operative plan of gender mechanism in BH in this area. Besides the considerations of gender sensitivity of budgeting policy in five municipalities of BH (Banovići, Bijeljina, Srebrenica, Travnik and Tuzla), the project predicted the increase of the capacities of non-governmental organizations and municipal officials in financing in the area of gender sensitive budgeting and their qualification for individual implementation of municipal budget analysis. Also, final activities regarded the introduction of BH public with the results of implemented analysis and the process of gender sensitive budgeting as a whole.

Results achieved

After the training session for training participants for implementation of gender analysis at the municipal level, the government at the local level is able to decide which policies should be adjusted and where the resources should be allocated so as to get a more adequate response to poverty and gender inequality issues. For the purpose of making budget analytics qualified, a three-day training was held, and it included the representatives of NGO (members of the KRIK network) from five Bosnian and Herzegovinian municipalities (Banovići, Bijeljina, Srebrenica, Travnik and Tuzla), then the officials from municipal services for budget and financing, as well as representatives from municipal commissions for gender equality from each of these municipalities.

Municipal budget and specific needs of final users from gender view were analyzed, and the participants applied the acquired knowledge on problems identified in their municipalities. The project resulted in recommendations and guidelines for generic sensitive budgeting. After completed analysis of municipal budget, analytic teams prepared the report that contained the analysis of basic categories of public expenditures at the local levels and presented it to VESTA Association, which, with the help of gender mechanism in BH, prepared and printed publication Recommendations and guidelines for gender sensitive budgeting in BH. Since the key justifying arguments for starting gender budget initiatives and budget generation, it represents the basis for integration of genders into the criteria that is determined by planning and implementation of municipal budgets, which are applicable to the budgets at all governmental levels. The Publication is then presented to the public in all five BH municipalities, and it was sent to Gender Center of FBH and RS whose one of the mandate is to gather initiatives connected to the legislative changes from the gender aspect.