National Guidelines in Spain

• Fourth plan for the Equality of Opportunities between Men and Women (2003-2006) (IV Plan para la Igualdad de Oportunidades entre Mujeres y Hombres)
• Comprehensive Family Assistance Plan (2001-2004) (Plan Integral de Apoyo a la Familia)
• Community Framework Strategy on Gender Equality (2001-2005)
• Third Plan for the Equality of Opportunities between Men and Women (1997-2000)
• Second Plan for the Equality of Opportunities between Men and Women (1993-95)
• First Plan for the Equality of Opportunities between Men and Women (1988-1990)

Fourth plan for the Equality of Opportunities between Men and Women (2003-2006) (IV Plan para la Igualdad de Oportunidades entre Mujeres y Hombres)

Approved 7 March 2003, in preparation for International Women’s Day, this plan determines the plan of action for the next 4 years for the Women’s Institute. Eight areas make up the fourth plan :

a. mainstreaming;
b. economic life;
c. decision-making;
d. quality of life;
e. encouragement of equality in civil life;
f. egalitarian values and attitudes;
g. conciliation of family and work life; and,
h. cooperation.

Comprehensive Family Assistance Plan (2001-2004) (Plan Integral de Apoyo a la Familia)

The intention of this government plan is to lay down a favourable framework for this basic social institution, by making family and working life mutually compatible.

The principle challenges included in this plan include:

a. Facilitating families being able to have a better quality of life, being able to be secure, and establishing the necessary for them to make decisions.
b. Putting in motion policies that lend sufficient support to families so that they can have as many children as they wish.
c. Supporting families as a guarantee of social cohesion.
d. Increasing support services that facilitate the reconciliation of family and work life, and the care of dependents.
e. Lending particular support to the families most in need.
f. Encouraging intergenerational solidarity.

In terms of measures to reconcile family and work life, the following actions were mentioned:
a. Amplification and improvement of the quality of services providing care to the first child and increasing those services providing services to dependent persons (help in the home, tele-assistance, day centers and residences).
b. Amplification of Social Security support so that unemployed mothers can be hired after becoming a mother.
c. Support to the hiring of single fathers and mothers, unemployed and with children.
d. Bonuses of 100% of the managerial quota of Social Security when women are reincorporated into the workplace after maternity leave.

Community Framework Strategy on Gender Equality (2001-2005)

This document of the European Commission establishes a framework for action within which all Community activities can contribute to attain the goal of eliminating inequalities and promoting equality between women and men.

This framework strategy will coordinate all the different initiatives and programmes under a single umbrella built around clear assessment criteria, monitoring tools, the setting of benchmarks, gender proofing, and evaluation. Five inter-related fields of intervention have been identified:

a. economic life
b. equal participation and representation
c. social rights
d. civil life
e. gender roles and stereotypes

This Strategy also includes a project called the Final Report and Best Practice Guide for Equal Pay in Collective Bargaining, which was instigated by the UGT (The General Union of Workers).

Third Plan for the Equality of Opportunities between Men and Women (1997-2000)

This plan develops the principal of integration from the perspective of mainstreaming set out at the Beijing Summit and in the 4th Community Action Programme.

The central themes of the third Plan are:

a. The development of specific measures to combat gender-based discrimination and to increase women's participation in all aspects of society

b. The development of the principle of cross-cutting, which ensures that every activity involves the protection and guarantee of the principle of equal treatment, both in Spain and in comprehensive activities of cooperation with other Governments.

c. Incorporation of a social perspective into Government policies.

Second Plan for the Equality of Opportunities between Men and Women (1993-95)

This second plan focussed on the development of affirmative action. It identified 10 objectives:

a. Legislation
b. Education
c. Employment
d. Image
e. Domestic responsibilities
f. Associative movement
g. Access to high-level posts
h. Health
i. Marginality
j. International Cooperation

From these objectives, the Ministry of Social Affairs (now Ministry of Labour and Social Affairs) considered three of these as priority areas:

a. the protection of women’s employment;
b. changing the image of women; and,
c. the promotion of women towards higher-level posts.

First Plan for the Equality of Opportunities between Men and Women (1988-1990)

This plan focused on the elimination of legal inequalities, and directed most of its attention on the employment sector. It also emphasized the changes in legislation that would need to be carried out to adapt Spanish law with that of the European Community.

Six basic areas of action were identified:

a. Law
b. Family and Social Action
c. Education and Culture
d. Employment
e. Health and International Cooperation
f. Associative Movement

Concerning employment, the focus was on equality in access to paid employment, equality in working conditions, reduction of unemployment for women, an the reduction of labour segregation on the basis of sex. Also mentioned was the need to share public and domestic duties between men and women.