Expanding the world of Gender-Responsive Budgeting and Tagging in Ethiopia

A great milestone as 112 public institutions join the wagon in Ethiopia

Ethiopia is taking a major step to ensure public spending equally benefits women, girls, men and boys. UN Women Ethiopia, in partnership with the Ministry of Finance and with support from the Spanish Cooperation and the European Union, is rolling out Gender-Responsive Budgeting and Tagging (GRBT) across 112 public institutions, including universities and social sector agencies

The initiative builds on earlier technical work under the Gates Foundation–supported Public Finance Management Digitalization and Reform Strategy Project. Through this effort, tools and guidelines were developed to help institutions assess how their budgets support gender equality. A system used by government to manage public finances—the Integrated Financial Management Information System (IFMIS)—has also been updated to include a method, based on international standards (OECD), to “tag” or classify spending according to its impact on women and girls.

After a successful pilot in four federal ministries—Agriculture, Water and Energy, Education, and Women and Social Affairs—the approach is now being scaled up nationwide. This makes it one of Ethiopia’s most comprehensive efforts to link public spending with real, measurable benefits for women and girls.

With the new system in place, trained staff in each institution review budgets, projects, and activities to assess how they are poised to contribute to gender equality. Programmes are classified as fully, partially, or not addressing gender equality. This helps decision-makers see not only where money is going, but also whether it is making a difference in the lives of all people.

Between 4 and 17 March 2026, UN Women and the Ministry of Finance conducted hands-on training across six cohorts, ensuring a consistent and practical understanding of the system across institutions.

By extending GRBT to 112 institutions, Ethiopia is strengthening its ability to identify both progress and gaps. Over a three-year budget cycle, policymakers and oversight bodies will be able to track whether commitments to gender equality translate into real investments and measurable outcomes.

Ms. Rahel, Executive Director of the Ministry of Finance, Women’s Directorate, and Mr. Firew Haile, Director of the Budget Preparation and Administration Department, are leading the review of sector budget submissions to ensure alignment with gender equality objectives. They note that the system will track both planned and actual spending, helping inform reporting to the House of Peoples’ Representatives and strengthening accountability.

With this initiative, Ethiopia is sending a clear message: gender equality is not an afterthought—it is a measurable, trackable national priority.