Strengthened Local Capacities for Implementing Gender-Responsive Governance

The fourth and final training session brought together representatives of local governments to finalize capacity-building efforts for planning and executing local budgets that equally address the needs of both male and female citizens.

The closing training session was held from October 9 to 11 in Zlatibor as part of the training programme on gender-responsive governance and budgeting in practice. The training gathered 24 representatives from 14 local self-governments across Serbia.

This three-day programme focused on the practical application of gender-responsive budgeting in key sectors. Participants had the opportunity to familiarize themselves with the concept, relevant laws and policies, and the roles of all stakeholders in the process.

Through interactive workshops, participants identified areas with gender disparities, then focused on setting specific gender-responsive goals and identifying indicators to monitor progress.

A particular emphasis was placed on creating concrete budget measures with defined timelines for implementation. In this way, participants transformed their acquired knowledge into practical steps ready for application within their local governments. It is expected that this programme will contribute to enhancing gender equality at the local level through more effective and equitable management of public resources.

The training programme was implemented within the Programme “PRO - Local Governance for People and Nature”, carried out by United Nations agencies in Serbia—UNOPS, UNICEF, UNFPA, and UNEP—in cooperation with the Government of the Republic of Serbia and with financial support from the Swiss Government.