Equality bodies from all over Europe visit the Basque Country to learn about its good practices in integrating the gender perspective into public policies

• The delegation consists of representatives from Belgium, Greece, Portugal, Croatia, Poland, Lithuania, Albania, Hungary, Georgia, Slovakia, Serbia and Spain.
• They are part of Equinet (Network of European Equality Bodies) and, over two days, will receive information on what makes up Basque equality policies

Sixteen representatives of Equinet (Network of European equality bodies) will, today and tomorrow, go on a study visit to the Basque Country to learn in detail its good practices and tools in the integration and transversality of the gender perspective in public policies. Over two days, the representatives of various institutions dedicated to the defence of rights and equality of Belgium, Greece, Portugal, Croatia, Poland, Lithuania, Albania, Hungary, Georgia, Slovakia, Serbia and Spain, meet in Azkuna Zentroa de Bilbao to receive detailed information on the structure of equality policies in the Basque Government, on the work with equality from the municipalities, Emakunde programs dedicated to companies and organizations, and initiatives related to public procurement and gender-sensitive budgets among other initiatives that make up the work towards equality in our country.

The Minister for Equality, Justice and Social Policies, Nerea Melgosa, and the director of Emakunde, Miren Elgarresta, have received the delegation, which is especially interested in how to guarantee and promote mainstreaming of equality policies. The Minister explained that the Basque Country is in eighth place among European countries in the European Equality Index and that achieving equality between women and men and a society free of male violence is a priority for the Basque Government.

Melgosa has pointed out that “it is essential to have a solid equality structure” and has recalled milestones of Basque equality policies such as the approval in 2005 of the Law for the Equality of Women and Men, which “has made it possible that now firm steps are being taken towards the shielding of equality policies and towards the integration of the gender perspective in all areas: health, education, economy, employment, culture, social services, security, urbanism, and all policies that have some impact on the lives of women and men, a law that has provided a solid basis for the drafting of the new law for equality passed a year ago.

The Minister has shown her conviction “that the equality of women and men, in addition to being a human right, is a strategic need for the deepening of democracy and for the construction of a more just, cohesive and socially and economically developed society”.

The director of Emakunde, for her part, explained the structure and mission of the Basque Women's Institute, and pointed out that “there are two essential elements to advance equality: a solid legal structure, accompanied by technical, economic and human resources and essential coordination and collaboration between institutions and entities to advance in a coordinated manner”.  Elgarresta also recalled the importance of having a new equality law, aligned with international guidelines and that will mean “strengthening economic, human and technical resources for developing equality policies”.