The Philippine Commission on Women (PCW) is set to release a comprehensive care economy policy framework in the first half of 2025, focusing on the significant unpaid care work predominantly performed by women, which averages around 13 hours per day [06e8eb3f]. During a press conference on December 4, 2024, PCW Chairperson Ermelita V. Valdeavilla highlighted the critical importance of this framework in addressing the challenges faced by women in the care economy [06e8eb3f].
This initiative aligns with the broader context of gender budgeting within the Philippines, where the Gender and Development (GAD) budget mandates a minimum allocation of 5% for gender programs. However, in 2023, only P442.5 billion was utilized out of the P807.64 billion allocated, indicating a significant underutilization of resources [06e8eb3f]. Currently, 246 government agencies are utilizing their GAD budgets, while 109 agencies are underutilizing these funds, primarily due to a lack of dedicated personnel [06e8eb3f]. Additionally, 76 agencies have not submitted their budget plans for 2024, further complicating the implementation of gender-focused initiatives [06e8eb3f].
In the context of the European Union, approximately 11% of its annual budget, totaling €140 billion, is allocated to gender equality initiatives, amounting to around €48 billion. This budget is undergoing a significant overhaul starting in June 2025, with a focus on implementing gender budgeting strategies aimed at removing barriers that affect women and girls [9f98582d]. MEP Lina Gálvez has emphasized the necessity of prioritizing gender budgeting at a political level to ensure that women's rights are adequately supported within the EU framework [9f98582d].
Experts argue that gender-responsive budgets can effectively address persistent issues such as unequal pay and underrepresentation of women in various sectors. Research from the EU suggests that enhancing gender equality could lead to a remarkable 9.6% boost in per-capita economic growth and the creation of approximately 10.5 million jobs by 2050 [9f98582d]. Despite these potential benefits, only 13 out of 49 EU programs currently prioritize gender equality, indicating a significant gap in the implementation of these initiatives [9f98582d].
The Horizon Europe program mandates that gender equality plans must be in place for funding eligibility, reflecting the EU's commitment to addressing gender disparities. However, full implementation of gender budgeting remains a work in progress, as the EU's founding treaties call for the elimination of gender inequalities, highlighting the need for continued efforts in this area [9f98582d].