Gender Responsive Budgeting: Evaluating Key Performance Indicators

Abstract

Sri Lanka’s performance in enhancing gender equality has consistently remained poor in the past decade. A previous analysis by Verité Research showed that Sri Lanka’s declining rank on the Global Gender Gap Index (GGGI) for the period 2010-2019 was largely driven by the indicator of the gender of the head of state. In its 2018 Budget Call, the National Budget Department (NBD) of the Ministry of Finance introduced a new policy strategy for gender responsive budgeting to be implemented under the medium-term budgetary framework from 2017-2019. Accordingly, the Ministry of Women and Child Affairs developed 12 Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) for all cabinet ministries, state ministries, and provincial councils to take into consideration when preparing budget estimates. These KPIs were to be designed in line with Goal 5 of the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals on gender equality and empowerment of women and girls. This report assesses the extent to which the government has implemented the 12 KPIs. The report contains the methodology, results of the progress assessments, and the challenges faced in conducting these assessments. The objectives of this report are twofold. First, it aims to assess the extent to which each of these KPIs have progressed based on information provided by public authorities in Sri Lanka. Second, the report highlights the key issues and gaps in how information on these KPIs is documented and monitored by the government.