Gender Equality Facility (GEF) Policy Brief

"The Gender Equality Facility (GEF): UN Women's Approach to Advancing EU Membership through Gender-Responsive Reforms in the Western Balkans and Eastern Partnership Countries" policy brief provides a comprehensive overview of the expected outcomes, best practices, and lessons learned from the implementation of the GEF in Western Balkans countries, including Albania, Serbia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, North Macedonia, and Kosovo*1. This analysis is intended to inform ongoing and future gender-responsive reforms in governance, justice, and public finance across the region. Secondly, as the GEF expands to Eastern Partnership countries—specifically Ukraine, Moldova, and Georgia—the brief offers projections on programming, strategic outlook, and visioning for these countries. By drawing on the experiences of the Western Balkans, it seeks to guide the alignment of national policies with the EU Gender Equality acquis in the Eastern Partnership, ensuring a smooth transition and effective implementation of gender equality reforms.