The Ministry of Equality ( es, Ministerio de Igualdad) is a department of the

Government of Spain gl, Goberno de España eu, Espainiako Gobernua , image = , caption = Logo of the Government of Spain , headerstyle = background-color: #efefef , label1 = Role , data1 = Executive power , label2 = Established , d ...

responsible for the proposal and execution of the government's policy on equality, with a focus on making the equality between men and women real and effective as well as prevention and eradication of different forms of

violence against women Violence against women (VAW), also known as gender-based violence and sexual and gender-based violence (SGBV), are violent acts primarily or exclusively committed against women or girls, usually by men or boys. Such violence is often con ...

. The department's roles also include eradication of all kind of discrimination by

sex Sex is the trait that determines whether a sexually reproducing animal or plant produces male or female gametes. Male plants and animals produce smaller mobile gametes (spermatozoa, sperm, pollen), while females produce larger ones ( ova, of ...

racial A race is a categorization of humans based on shared physical or social qualities into groups generally viewed as distinct within a given society. The term came into common usage during the 1500s, when it was used to refer to groups of variou ...

and

ethnic An ethnic group or an ethnicity is a grouping of people who identify with each other on the basis of shared attributes that distinguish them from other groups. Those attributes can include common sets of traditions, ancestry, language, history, ...

origin,

religion Religion is usually defined as a social- cultural system of designated behaviors and practices, morals, beliefs, worldviews, texts, sanctified places, prophecies, ethics, or organizations, that generally relates humanity to supernatural, ...

or ideology,

sexual orientation Sexual orientation is an enduring pattern of romantic or sexual attraction (or a combination of these) to persons of the opposite sex or gender, the same sex or gender, or to both sexes or more than one gender. These attractions are generall ...

gender identity Gender identity is the personal sense of one's own gender. Gender identity can correlate with a person's assigned sex or can differ from it. In most individuals, the various biological determinants of sex are congruent, and consistent with the ...

, age,

disability Disability is the experience of any condition that makes it more difficult for a person to do certain activities or have equitable access within a given society. Disabilities may be cognitive, developmental, intellectual, mental, physical, ...

or any other personal or social condition or circumstances. It existed from 2008 to 2010 when it merged with the Ministry of Health, and then from 2020.

History

The department was created in 2008 at the second term of José Luis Rodríguez Zapatero's second term in order to promote equality policies set forth in the 2007 Equality Act and in the 2004 Comprehensive Act on Violence against Women, as well as promoting the programs of the Institute of Women and the

Institute of Youth The Institute of Youth (INJUVE) is an autonomous agency of the Government of Spain responsible for promoting youth associations and collaboration for their advancement; the development and coordination of an information and communication system ...

. The Ministry assumed the powers on equality that belonged at that time to the

Ministry of Labour and Social Affairs Ministry may refer to: Government * Ministry (collective executive), the complete body of government ministers under the leadership of a prime minister * Ministry (government department), a department of a government Religion * Christian mi ...

, which was renamed Ministry of Labour and Immigration. The Prime Minister chose

Bibiana Aído Bibiana Aído Almagro (born 2 February 1977) is a Spanish politician who served as minister of equality. She became the first person to hold the post on 14 April 2008, at the beginning of José Luis Rodríguez Zapatero's second term as Prime Min ...

to head this new department. She became the first person to hold this position in

Spain , image_flag = Bandera de España.svg , image_coat = Escudo de España (mazonado).svg , national_motto = ''Plus ultra'' (Latin)(English: "Further Beyond") , national_anthem = (English: "Royal March") , i ...

and the youngest person to hold a ministerial office in democracy. On 21 October 2010, a cabinet reshuffle merged the Ministry of Equality in the Ministry of Health (which was headed by

Leire Pajín Leire Pajín Iraola (born September 16, 1976) is a Spanish socialist politician. She served as a minister under José Luis Rodríguez Zapatero. Early life and education Pajín was born in San Sebastián but moved with her parents to Benidorm wh ...

) and in exchange the Secretariat of State for Equality was created. Aído accepted the offer of the prime minister to continue at the forefront of the equality policies as Secretary of State. The department was reestablished on 13 January 2020.

Organization chart and key people

Current structure (2020–)

The current structure of the Department is: * The Secretariat of State for Equality and against Gender Violence. ** The Government Delegation against Gender Violence. ** The Directorate-General for Equal Treatment and Racial-Ethnic Diversity. ** The Directorate-General for Sexual Diversity and LGTBI Rights. * The Undersecretariat of Equality. ** The General Technical Secretariat.

2008–2010 structure

The Department of Equality, in its first period, was integrated by two main bodies: * The ''Undersecretariat of Equality'', charged with running the department on a day-to-day basis. Headed by Concepción Toquero Plaza (April–October 2008) and Antonio José Hidalgo López (2008–2010). ** The General Technical Secretariat. ** The Deputy Directorate-General for Economic, Budgetary and Personnel Programming and Management. * The ''General Secretariat for Equality Policies'', which was the main body in charge of developing the Ministry's powers. Headed by Isabel María Martínez Lozano (2008–2010). ** The Government Delegation for Gender Violence. ** The Directorate-General for Equality in Employment. ** The Directorate-General against Discrimination. The department also managed the following agencies and bodies: * The

. * The Youth Council of Spain. * The Institute of Women. * The Women's Participation Council. * The Council for Equal Treatment and Non-Discrimination of Persons by Racial or Ethnic Origin

List of officeholders

Office name: *Ministry of Equality (2008–2010; 2020–present)

Notes

References

External links

Ministry of Equality
{{authority control Government ministries of Spain Gender equality ministries