Phase 1 involved analysis of the public finance transparency; advocacy for change of the Organic Law on Budgets 2005 and introduction of participatory and transparent budgeting principles, followed by capacity building of CSOs and local governments to utilize the newly regulated mechanisms such as budgetary forums, publication of the budget and annual account on the municipal web sites and etc. For this purpose, the organization implemented trainings with the two stakeholder groups and produced a Citizen’s Gudiebook to Budgets.

Donors: Friedrich Ebebrt Stiftung

Related publications:
Public finance transparency
Водич во буџети (МК)
Udhëzues Për Buxhetet (AL)

Related links:
Промоција на граѓанскиот водич во буџетите
Обука за креирање политики и транспарентно буџетирање

Phase 2 involved strengthening the role of civil society as a watchdog to government (local and national) on how they use public finances. To this end the organization has intiated and built capacities, mentored a coalition of CSOs call Budget watchdogs. The CRPM led efforts to build a budget watchdog network through the Institute for Sustainable Communities (ISC) funded “Unleashing budget watchdog” project which included 9 organizations.

Donors: USAID/Institute for Sustainable Communities

Related publication:
Budget Watchdogs
Чувари на јавното ќесe

During Covid 19 CRPM monitored the use of emergency funding by the Governments of the region and measured their impact on women and vulnerable groups as well as provided recommendations to reduce the negative effects on the economy using gender-responsive budgeting tools, i.e. gender budget cost analysis and gender-responsive assessment of beneficiaries of measures funded through public finances.

Donors: USAID/Institute for Sustainable Communities

Related publication:
Dealing with covid-19: how does public spending affect gender equality

CRPM currently implements the project BAT-Civil Society – Civic Oversight Capacities for Budget Accountability and Transparency in Albania with support of the EU with an overall objective to improve the governance and oversight of budget planning and implementation by strengthening the capacities of civil society organizations at the local and national levels to effectively participate in budget planning and to monitor and evaluate budget implementation. The project is implemented in the period 2023-2026 and will improve current government policies and practices on budget planning, implementation, and reporting through greater public oversight.

Donor: EU

Phase 3 built on the budget watchdog methodology developed in phase 3 and by introducing gender perspective, CRPM emerged as a pioneer in using gender responsive budgeting in public finance monitoring. Since 2019 the organization instigated the formation of the Gender Budget Watchdog Network of CSOs from Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Montenegro, Moldova, Macedonia, Kosovo and Serbia have mobilized over 100 CSOs built capacities, network and advocated together for equal redistribution of public finances for the needs of women and men by using gender responsive budgeting tools in production of gender budget initiatives and gender budget watchdog reports.

Donors: Austrian development agency and the Swedish Development cooperation; EU; CEI.

Learn more about GBWN: GBWN – Gender Budget Watchdog Network

Relevant publications:
Guidebook on Advocacy and Lobbying for Gender Responsive Budgeting and Climate Change;
Guidebook for Gender Budget Watchdogging in Climate Change Financing;
Guidebook on Gender Impact Assessments for Budgets;
Guidebook on Gender Budget Analysis;
Guidebook on cost-benefit/cost-effectiveness assessment.

Related links:
Marija Risteska at the regional meeting on gender budgeting;
Recap of the Two-Day Regional Forum on Gender Responsive Budgeting: Going Glocal;
Regional conference on Gender Responsive Budgeting in Istanbul, Turkey;
International Conference: “Role of civil society in (gender – responsive) budgeting: participation, advocacy and accountability”;
Training for future trainers on gender responsive budgeting/Обуката за идните обучувачи за родово одговорно буџетирање;
Gender Sensitive Budgeting Presentation.