Vienna prioritises gender equality through budgeting
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In Vienna, Austria, Barbara Novak, Elke Hanel-Torsch, and Maria In der Maur-Könne recently toured the Donaustadt district to examine how the city’s budget supports gender equality.
Since 2006, Vienna has integrated “Gender Budgeting” into its financial planning, requiring officials to consider the impact of spending on women and men. This approach was formally enshrined in the Austrian constitution in 2009.
Officials highlighted expansions to childcare facilities, increasing the number from 1,863 in 2005/2006 to 2,685 in 2024/2025, alongside a rise in female employment from 64.1 percent to 71.4 percent over the same period. They also pointed to city planning choices, such as wide paths in parks and affordable housing, that benefit families and especially single women. The city also supports female entrepreneurship.
In 2007, women owned 32.7 percent of new businesses, but by 2025, that number had risen to 45.1 percent. Additionally, the city is investing in women’s health centres and provides funding for job training programs, where women make up 65.5 percent of participants. Vienna aims to create a “city of short distances” to ease the burden on residents juggling work and family life.
