Equity in Public Budgeting: Lessons for the United States

Abstract

There is a growing realization among both academics and practitioners that infusing government budgets with an equity dimension has the potential to provide a pathway to a more equitable society. This potential has already been realized by more than 80 governments worldwide that have been using gender-responsive budgets (GRB) to advance gender equity. GRB represents a specific example of the growing trend in budgeting, which sees government budgets as something more than a neutral process of resource allocation. Rather, budgets are instruments to influence the allocation of resources to advance equity. In this article, we look at how international experiences with GRB can inform recent efforts in the United States by governments at all levels to use their budgets to advance social equity, especially for historically marginalized groups. We identify five factors that have contributed to GRB success and discuss how each of the factors can inform these efforts.