Institute of Women – Equinet

The Spanish Institute of Women, an autonomous body attached to the Ministry of Equality through the State Secretariat for Equality and Against Gender-Based Violence, works to support progress of women in all areas of society since 1983. It is specifically entrusted to foster gender equality and the equal participation of women and men in all areas of public life, in particular in political, economic, cultural and social life, and to foster and implement gender mainstreaming.

The Institute is also the National Equality Body under the Gender Equal Treatment Directives (the 2010/41 on self-employed persons, the 2006/54 Recast directive, and the 2004/113 Goods and services directive). Among specific functions carried out by the Institute as such are: to receive and channel, in the administrative order, discrimination complaints on the ground of sex, independently assisting victims of discrimination on how to proceed with their claims; to prepare and publish reports, studies and formulate recommendations on gender equality. The Institute, within the scope of its competencies, also collaborates with non-governmental state-level organizations, public or private entities and international organisations dedicated to gender equality issues.Visit website »