From Data to Action: How Tax Administrations Are Advancing Gender Equality

What does a gender-responsive tax administration look like in practice? This question brought together 231 participants from around the world during the global webinar “Gender-Responsive Tax Administrations: From Institutional Commitment to Practical Action,” organized by the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) Gender Team through the Gender Equality Seal for Public Institutions in partnership with the EQUANOMICS initiative. Bringing together tax authorities, ministries of finance, development partners and gender equality experts, the event explored how public institutions can transform tax systems and services to better serve all citizens while advancing gender equality. 

Why gender matters in tax administration?

Although tax systems are often viewed as gender neutral, speakers highlighted that women and men do not always experience tax administration in the same way. 

Opening the discussion, Aroa Santiago from UNDP’s EQUANOMICS initiative emphasized that gender equality is increasingly recognized as a fiscal governance issue. Tax administrations influence how public policies are experienced in practice, from taxpayer registration and access to services to compliance and accountability mechanisms.  

Experts highlighted that gender gaps can emerge throughout the taxpayer journey. Drawing on Expertise France’s work, Gwladys Tankeu explained that barriers often arise when registration procedures are complex, information is difficult to access, or digital services do not reflect the realities of all taxpayers. Women entrepreneurs, particularly those operating small businesses or balancing care responsibilities, may face additional obstacles when engaging with tax systems. 

Similarly, Nthabiseng Debeila from the African Tax Administration Forum (ATAF) stressed that tax administrations can help reduce inequalities by strengthening taxpayer education, collecting sex-disaggregated data, and ensuring that systems and processes do not unintentionally reinforce existing biases. She also highlighted the importance of increasing women’s representation in leadership and technical roles within revenue authorities. 

Turning commitment into institutional change 

While the challenges are significant, Tax Administrations implementing the Gender Seal for Public Institutions demonstrated that practical solutions already exist. 

In Mongolia, the General Department of Taxation used the Seal to embed gender equality into strategic planning, performance management, staff training and institutional structures. The institution strengthened women’s leadership through dedicated capacity-building programmes, integrated gender-related objectives into management systems and performance contracts and improved the use of sex-disaggregated data for institutional decision-making. 

For the Nigeria Revenue Service, the Seal provided a framework to establish benchmarks, measure progress and strengthen accountability. The institution reported the creation of a Gender Desk, the launch of a Women’s Network, the adoption of policies addressing sexual harassment and gender-based violence, and leadership and mentorship initiatives for women staff. 

“The Seal has given us the discipline and the planning around how we measure what we’re doing.” 

Angel Fadahunsi, Group Director, Human Capital Management, Nigeria Revenue Service 

The Rwanda Revenue Authority highlighted how leadership commitment has translated into concrete actions, including increasing women’s participation in leadership and emerging technology fields, strengthening institutional policies, and integrating gender equality into strategic planning and organizational transformation processes. 

Meanwhile, Honduras’ Tax Administration Service demonstrated how applying a gender lens to service delivery can reveal barriers often overlooked in traditional tax administration approaches. By analysing who uses public services and under what conditions, the institution introduced measures such as child-friendly spaces and taxpayer outreach mechanisms designed to improve accessibility for people with care responsibilities and other constraints. 

“The most significant result was moving from saying we were working for equality to being able to demonstrate progress.” 

Ivin Caballero, Tax Administration Service, Honduras 

The conversation reinforced a powerful message: advancing gender equality and strengthening public institutions go hand in hand, and tax administrations have a vital role to play in making that transformation a reality. 

Closing the event, Regina Chinamasa, Commissioner General of the Zimbabwe Revenue Authority, emphasized that gender responsiveness should be understood as both a revenue and a compliance issue. Understanding taxpayers, collecting sex-disaggregated data, reviewing policies through a gender lens, and embedding accountability into institutional strategies are critical steps towards better public service delivery.