Gender Budgeting Knowledge Hub launched to strengthen inclusive finance

Inclusive governance gets a boost

Gender Budgeting Knowledge Hub launched to strengthen inclusive finance: India has taken a fresh step toward gender-inclusive governance with the launch of the Gender Budgeting Knowledge Hub. This platform was introduced during a national consultation in New Delhi, reinforcing the government’s intention to weave gender sensitivity into the heart of policy and finance. The hub isn’t just a digital initiative—it’s a reflection of how far gender budgeting has evolved in India’s administrative journey.

Making budgets more gender-sensitive

Gender budgeting isn’t a new term, but its application has gained deeper roots. Initially seen as a budgetary checklist, it’s now recognized as a policy tool that reshapes how funds are allocated, aiming to bridge gender gaps in education, healthcare, employment, and welfare. This signals an important shift: from treating gender as a side concern to putting it at the center of national planning.

India was among the first countries to institutionalize gender budgeting in 2005, under the Ministry of Finance. Today, over 57 ministries participate in this framework.

What the Knowledge Hub offers?

The new hub works as a digital knowledge bank for ministries, departments, and institutions across the country. It collects all necessary information related to gender budgeting practices, reports, guidelines, and case studies. This enables quick access to materials that can guide state and central governments in planning and executing gender-focused programs effectively.

It also aims to encourage coordination among stakeholders, making the budgeting process more informed and result-oriented.

Sharp rise in gender budget allocation

For the 2025–26 financial year, India has earmarked ₹4.49 lakh crore for gender-related spending. This is a 37% increase from the previous year. To put this in context, in 2014–15, the gender budget was just ₹0.98 lakh crore. That means there’s been more than a four-fold jump in 11 years, clearly underlining the commitment to women’s empowerment.

Engagement at the national consultation

The national consultation was attended by top officials from 40 central ministries and 19 states, with global partners like UN Women and the Asian Development Bank also sharing the platform. The focus was on practical ways to make gender budgeting more effective and measurable. Officials discussed successes and gaps, and shared innovative strategies from different sectors.

Training for better implementation

During the event, officials discussed a draft Training Manual on Gender Budgeting. The aim is to simplify the process for those directly involved in policy execution. This manual is meant to serve as a step-by-step guide to help officials understand how to apply gender-sensitive budgeting principles within their departments.

Looking back and looking ahead

Over two decades, gender budgeting in India has seen both progress and problems. While allocation has grown, challenges remain—especially in terms of monitoring outcomes and ensuring that funds translate into real impact on the ground. The journey forward depends on continuous capacity building, inter-ministerial cooperation, and strong implementation mechanisms.

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