The demand to professionally certify people who work for equality has a history that dates back to 2011, when the Women’s Institute promoted the first work to recognize the qualifications of these profiles. According to the original media, these efforts did not result in success at this point, but the government has decided to continue them and use these findings when drafting a bill. This Tuesday, following a proposal from the Ministry of Equality, the Council of Ministers approved the drafting of specific rules to regulate equal opportunities officers, also setting a transition period of 10 years until the new requirements come into full force.
According to the above-mentioned media, Equality Minister Ana Redondo presented the initiative after the Council of Ministers meeting. Redondo explained that the main purpose of the draft project is to promote the professionalization of those who carry out functions related to the promotion of equality, as well as to emphasize the training and technical training of agents already working in this field. He also explained that the new legal framework responds to the need to put an end to professional interference, which is considered one of the current problems in the sector, and to ensure that the services offered have quality guarantees and have the necessary qualifications.
According to the Minister and as detailed by the media, the certification of these studies and qualifications represents a demand supported both by the group of equal opportunities officers themselves and by feminist movements that have called for their formal recognition in the past. Redondo emphasized the historic nature of the initiative, as it is a “long-held” desire of the industry, and considered that this regulatory proposal reflects and extends the path taken by specialized institutions such as the Women’s Institute over the last decade.
Media reported that the text of the project draft envisages a transition period of 10 years during which people who are already carrying out equality tasks can adapt. This extended time frame was established to allow those who are currently active but do not have specific accreditation to complete the training and obtain the certification required by the future law. In this way, the government wants to align the strengthening of guarantees and quality standards with the existing reality in the sector and avoid the exclusion of professionals due to the immediate entry into force of new formal requirements.
Among the powers conferred on the professional figure of the Equal Opportunities Commissioner, the Minister pointed out that they will be responsible for the analysis and diagnosis of all human actions and activities that influence the maintenance of inequalities and discrimination between women and men. You will also be involved in the design, development, monitoring and evaluation of public policies on gender equality. According to the media, with these definitions the government wants to consolidate an important role for equal opportunities officers in the implementation and monitoring of institutional policies both at the state level and in local administrations.
The media explained that the approved draft would have to follow standard parliamentary procedure before it could come into force, but both professional groups and feminist movements appreciated the explicit recognition of the degree and associated skills as a fundamental step forward. The initiative is part of the Executive Branch’s commitment to combating gender discrimination, one of the legislative priorities identified for the current period.
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