Ministry of Equality (Spain)

Ministry of Equality
Ministerio de Igualdad

Ministry's HQ in Madrid.
Agency overview
FormedApril 14, 2008; 16 years ago (2008-04-14)
Preceding agency
Superseding agency
TypeMinistry
JurisdictionGovernment of Spain
HeadquartersAlcalá street, 37
Madrid
Annual budget 573 million, 2023[1]
Minister responsible
Websiteigualdad.gob.es

The Ministry of Equality (Spanish: Ministerio de Igualdad) is a department of the Government of Spain 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. The department's roles also include eradication of all kind of discrimination by sex, racial and ethnic origin, religion or ideology, sexual orientation, gender identity, age, disability or any other personal or social condition or circumstances.[2] It existed from 2008 to 2010 when it merged with the Ministry of Health, and then from 2020.

History

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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 Ministry assumed the powers on equality that belonged at that time to the Ministry of Labour and Social Affairs, which was renamed Ministry of Labour and Immigration.

The Prime Minister chose Bibiana Aído to head this new department. She became the first person to hold this position in Spain and the youngest person to hold a ministerial office in democracy.[3]

On 21 October 2010, a cabinet reshuffle merged the Ministry of Equality in the Ministry of Health (which was headed by Leire Pajín) 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 re-established on 13 January 2020, although without the responsibilities over youth affairs, that this time were assigned to the Ministry of Social Affairs.

Organization chart and key people

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Current structure (2020–)

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The current structure of the Department is:[4]

2008–2010 structure

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The Department of Equality, in its first period, was integrated by two main bodies:[2]

  • 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 department also managed the following agencies and bodies:

  • The Institute of Youth.
  • 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

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Office name:

  • Ministry of Equality (2008–2010; 2020–present)
Portrait Name
(Birth–Death)
Term of office Party Government Prime Minister
(Tenure)
Ref.
Took office Left office Duration
Bibiana Aído
(born 1977)
14 April
2008
21 October
2010
2 years and 190 days PSOE Zapatero II José Luis
Rodríguez Zapatero


(2004–2011)
[5]
[6]
Office disestablished during this interval.[a]
Irene Montero
(born 1988)
13 January
2020
21 November
2023
3 years and 312 days Podemos Sánchez II Pedro Sánchez

(2018–present)
[7]
[8]
Ana Redondo
(born 1966)
21 November
2023
Incumbent 352 days PSOE Sánchez III [9]

Notes

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  1. ^ The department's competences were transferred to the Ministry of Health, Social Policy and Equality between 2010 and 2011, to the Ministry of Health, Social Services and Equality between 2011 and 2018, and to the Ministry of the Presidency, Relations with the Cortes and Equality between 2018 and 2020.

References

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  1. ^ "2023 State Budget" (PDF). www.boe.es. 1 January 2023. Retrieved 8 January 2023.
  2. ^ a b "Royal Decree 455/2020, 10th March, which develops the basic organic structure of the Ministry of Equality". boe.es. Retrieved 12 March 2020.
  3. ^ Keeley, Graham (14 April 2008). "Spanish cabinet has its first female majority". The Guardian. Retrieved 8 September 2019.
  4. ^ "Royal Decree 139/2020, of January 28, which establishes the basic organic structure of the ministerial departments". boe.es. Retrieved 30 January 2020.
  5. ^ "Real Decreto 436/2008, de 12 de abril, por el que se nombran Ministros del Gobierno" (PDF). Boletín Oficial del Estado (in Spanish) (90). Agencia Estatal Boletín Oficial del Estado: 19762. 14 April 2008. ISSN 0212-033X.
  6. ^ "Real Decreto 1322/2010, de 20 de octubre, por el que se dispone el cese de doña Bibiana Aído Almagro como Ministra de Igualdad" (PDF). Boletín Oficial del Estado (in Spanish) (255). Agencia Estatal Boletín Oficial del Estado: 88356. 21 October 2010. ISSN 0212-033X.
  7. ^ "Real Decreto 8/2020, de 12 de enero, por el que se nombran Ministros del Gobierno" (PDF). Boletín Oficial del Estado (in Spanish) (11). Agencia Estatal Boletín Oficial del Estado: 2882. 13 January 2020. ISSN 0212-033X.
  8. ^ "Real Decreto 695/2023, de 24 de julio, por el que se declara el cese de los miembros del Gobierno" (PDF). Boletín Oficial del Estado (in Spanish) (176). Agencia Estatal Boletín Oficial del Estado: 108070–108071. 25 July 2023. ISSN 0212-033X.
  9. ^ "Real Decreto 835/2023, de 20 de noviembre, por el que se nombran Ministros del Gobierno" (PDF). Boletín Oficial del Estado (in Spanish) (278). Agencia Estatal Boletín Oficial del Estado: 154695. 21 November 2023. ISSN 0212-033X.
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