SPAIN: EQUALITY IS NOT A UTOPIA

By Jesus Caldera and - - Reprint | | Print |

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MADRID, Apr 1 2006 (IPS) - A fundamental commitment to the recognition of social rights and the equality of all citizens is at the core of the initiatives undertaken by the government of Spanish president Jose Luis Rodriguez Zapatero, writes Jesus Caldera, Minister of Labour and Social Issues of Spain. In this article, Caldera writes that the first law that this administration presented and which received the unanimous support of all groups in parliament was the Comprehensive Law Against Violence Against Women. The draft bill of the Organic Law that was approved by the Council of Ministers on March 3 has the objective of effectively implementing the principle of equality and eliminating all discrimination against women in all areas of private and public life. Its goal is to modify all laws that are affected by the introduction of the principle of real equality and devise effective instruments to apply it to, among other areas, government offices, health and education policy, labour policy, access to new technology, and the information society. Our intent is to make the formal equality consecrated in the Spanish constitution a concrete reality in all areas of life, public and private. With this law, the Spanish government wants to issue naturalisation papers to a cultural change that a large part of Spanish society is already calling for and that needs legal codification.

A fundamental commitment to the recognition of social rights and the equality of all citizens is at the core of the initiatives undertaken by the government of Spanish president Jose Luis Rodriguez Zapatero.

An essential element in the development of these principles was, without a doubt, the equality between men and women. The first law that this administration presented and which received the unanimous support of all groups in parliament, was the Comprehensive Law Against Violence Against Women.

We will soon submit a draft Law for the Promotion of Personal Autonomy and Care of Dependants, which brings together like few others the two principles mentioned above: social rights and the equality of all citizens. It is true pro-equality legislation that will benefit not only people who cannot care for themselves but also the families and especially women who bear the majority of the burden of caring for these people within the family.

Similarly, the draft bill of the Organic Law that was approved by the Council of Ministers on March 3 has the objective of effectively implementing the principle of equality and eliminating all discrimination against women in all areas of private and public life. Its goal is to modify all laws that are affected by the introduction of the principle of real equality and devise effective instruments to apply it to, among other areas, government offices, health and education policy, labour policy, access to new technology, and the information society.

Our intent is to make the formal equality that is consecrated in the Spanish constitution a concrete reality in all areas of life, public and private.

Similarly, this law will extend to our country the European Union directive regarding equality of treatment between men and women, and introduce into our juridical system the definition of direct and indirect discrimination, sexual harassment, and gender discrimination. This law, enjoys broad public support, including from the unions and women’s organisations.

We intend to make the labour market a place of equality and not exclusion for women. We are convinced that a policy of equality improves the competitiveness of a company and its image. Promoting both maternity and employment is not a waste but an investment in the future.

As far as public policies for equality are concerned, the text includes measures to guarantee effective enforcement of the right to equality, its integration into all areas of public policy, collaboration between areas of government involved in enforcement, balanced participation of men and women in decision-making, the eradication of violence against women, protection of maternity and related situations, the establishment of means of reconciliation between personal, family, and work life, collaboration between government and political parties, social activists, and women’s groups, and the promotion of equality in relations between private individuals.

The law thus covers all areas of society and will have to be implemented evenly and across the board.

To name a few of its provisions, there is the establishment of equality on electoral lists, ten days paternity leave independent of the mother, which puts Spain above the European average; equality plans for companies, which will be obligatory in businesses with more then 250 workers and voluntary for smaller firms, although all will have to implement some equality provision.

What is certain is that the initiative is intended to help reconcile family and work life and provide incentives for the sharing of responsibilities of childcare and work in the home on a truly equal basis.

With this law, the Spanish government wants to issue naturalisation papers to a cultural change that a large part of Spanish society is already calling for and that needs legal codification. (END/COPYRIGHT IPS)