Africa Leadership Foundation launches Pan-African gender budgeting network

In a major step toward strengthening gender equality and inclusive governance across the continent, the Africa Leadership Foundation (ALF) has launched the African Gender Budgeting Network (AGEBUN). It is the first Pan-African platform dedicated to advancing gender-responsive budgeting (GRB) and inclusive fiscal policies.

The initiative, launched last month, was developed in partnership with UN Women, the UN Economic Commission for Africa (UNECA), the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), the African Union Commission’s Women, Gender and Youth Directorate (AUC WGYD), and Oxfam in Africa. It marks a significant milestone in Africa’s efforts to institutionalise gender-responsive budgeting. This aims to make it a standard practice within national and regional fiscal systems.

According to ALF, AGEBUN was established in response to the outcomes of its earlier gender programmes. These outcomes underscored the need for a sustainable, continent-wide platform. The platform connects practitioners, policymakers, researchers, and advocates beyond one-off engagements. This need was echoed by over 600 gender machineries, advocates, and experts from 31 African countries during ALF’s Regional Advocacy Workshop on Gender-Responsive Budgeting held in June 2025.

Delivering the opening remarks at the launch, Executive Director of ALF, Dr. Olumide Ajayi, reaffirmed the organisation’s commitment to advancing gender equality through fiscal reform.

“Gender-responsive budgeting is not new to Africa, but it remains underutilised due to limited knowledge, weak capacity, and widespread misconceptions.
AGEBUN was established to bridge these gaps through knowledge sharing, peer learning, and coordinated advocacy. It connects practitioners, advocates, and stakeholders with the needed tools and resources to make fiscal systems truly inclusive,” he said.

The launch brought together high-level representatives and development partners. These included Paul Vingi, Interim Gender Justice Lead at Oxfam in Africa; Mme. Cleopatra Hurungo, Regional Advisor and Gender Team Leader, UNDP Regional Service Centre for Africa; Mme. Keiso Matashane-Marite, Chief of Gender Equality and Women’s Empowerment at UNECA (represented by Mme. Judith Beatrice Auma Oduol); Mme. Prudence Ngwenya, Director of AUC WGYD (represented by Ms. Ilwad Elmi Mohammed); and Madame Doris Mpoumpou, Special Representative of UN Women to the African Union.

Inaugurating the network on behalf of UN Women, Madame Doris Mpoumpou praised ALF’s leadership and vision.

“Budgets are not just technical tools — they are political statements that reflect what societies value. AGEBUN provides the platform to ensure our fiscal choices truly represent the priorities of women, men, and youth across Africa,” she said.

Findings from the Africa Gender Index 2023 Analytical Report, produced by the African Development Bank (AfDB) and UNECA, underscore the urgency of such an initiative.

The report revealed that women’s economic parity in Africa declined from 61% in 2019 to 58.2% in 2023. This highlights widening gender gaps in employment, income, and access to productive resources. It calls on African governments to make intentional investments in women and girls through evidence-based, gender-responsive budgeting.

The creation of AGEBUN aligns with global and continental frameworks. These include the Sustainable Development Goals (SDG 5 on Gender Equality and SDG 16 on inclusive institutions) and Agenda 2063’s Aspiration 6 and Goal 17. They emphasise gender equality and women’s empowerment as central to Africa’s transformation.

Since its launch, AGEBUN has attracted over 250 members from 32 sub-Saharan African countries. It forms a vibrant community of practitioners, policymakers, and advocates. The network aims to serve as an advocacy hub, knowledge-sharing platform, and collaborative space. It is meant to strengthen GRB implementation and drive policy reforms across the continent.

With the continued collaboration of UN Women, UNDP, UNECA, the AUC, Oxfam in Africa, and other development partners, ALF says the new network is poised to become a cornerstone in shaping Africa’s fiscal systems — ensuring that every budget reflects the realities and priorities of all Africans.

 

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