The Council of Ministers, at its meeting of 4 March 2005 and on the proposal of the First Vice-President of the Government and Minister of the Presidency, of the Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Economy and Finance, of the Minister on Foreign Affairs and Cooperation, the Minister of Justice, the Minister of Defence, the Minister for the Interior, the Minister for Development, the Minister for Education and Science, the Minister for Labour and Social Affairs, the Minister for Industry, Tourism and Trade, Minister for Agriculture, Fisheries and Food, Minister for Agriculture The Minister for Health and Consumer Affairs, the Minister for Health and Consumer Affairs, the Minister for the Environment and the Minister for Housing, Public Administrations, has approved the Agreement adopting measures to promote equality between women and men. men.

For general knowledge the publication of such an agreement as annexed to this order is applicable.

Madrid, 7 March 2005.

FERNANDEZ DE LA VEGA SANZ

ANNEX Agreement adopting measures to promote equality between women and men

In the last 25 years, Spanish women have been the biggest advance in their history. However, the social and economic reality does not yet reflect the full and effective equality of rights that the Constitution recognizes as part of its citizenship status.

Women's unemployment is higher than male unemployment, despite the intense job creation of women. A relevant pay gap is maintained for the same job. Family responsibilities continue to be assumed almost exclusively by women and the difficulties of reconciling family and professional life persist. Gender-based violence is claimed every year by an unbearable number of women killed by their partners. In short, the historical discrimination of women has not yet been eradicated in a society that continues to offer equal opportunities to all its citizens. This Government, which has made equality and the defence of women's rights, has been and is very aware of this, starting with its right to life and freedom, threatened by the scourge of gender-based violence, one of the flags of the of his political action. The formation of the first parittarius government in the history of Spain is a good proof that its commitment to this struggle would be guaranteed by the strength of the facts. Then, immediately, the government approved a series of urgent measures to tackle the violence and murders of women, who have been joined by the first law of this legislature, the Law against Gender Violence, which all we have had the satisfaction of seeing it unanimously approved. The White Paper on Dependence has also been drawn up, a valuable tool for starting to put into the hands of the whole society the weight that women are now almost exclusively supporting in such an unjust and discriminatory way. And it is preparing, in addition to this Plan of Dependence, an Equality Law and another to promote the reconciliation of family and work life. In the first few months, the Council of Ministers has taken decisions which are all in favour of equality between men and women. Among them are those related to public employment, the protection of maternity and international cooperation. Today, on the occasion of the celebration on 8 March of International Women's Day and coinciding with the World Conference on Gender Equality at the United Nations, the Council of Ministers wants to give a new and important step forward in the these policies. To this end, an agreement has been approved by the Commission to adopt an important set of measures to advance the various lines of action that contribute day by day to reducing inequality in all areas of everyday life. Each and every ministerial department has strived and committed to this government action. All of them have contributed to this set of initiatives. The Government, in the light of all of the above, has agreed on the measures in favour of equality, which are included in this agreement. Some of them are adopted by means of individual agreements which are adopted today or in successive and immediate sessions of the Council of Ministers. In its virtue, on the proposal of the First Vice-President of the Government and Minister of the Presidency, of the Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Economy and Finance, of the Minister of Foreign Affairs and Cooperation, of the Minister of Justice, the Minister of Defence, the Minister for the Interior, the Minister for Development, the Minister for Education and Science, the Minister for Labour and Social Affairs, the Minister for Industry, Tourism and Trade, the Minister for Agriculture, Fisheries and Food, Minister of Public Administration, Minister of Culture, Minister of Public Administration Health and Consumer Affairs, the Minister for the Environment and the Minister for Housing, the Council of Ministers, at its meeting on 4 March 2005, approves the following Agreement:

1. Employment

1.1 It is agreed that 60 percent of the actions of the National Action Plan for Employment will be directed to women, which will mean that, throughout this year, 1,250,000 women will benefit from this measure. In addition, all public employment promotion programmes, both for the purpose of grants and for the improvement of occupational health, will be considered as a priority objective for women.

1.2 It is agreed to introduce in the contract documents with the public administration criteria that favor the hiring of women by the companies that attend. 1.3 In the General Administration of the State and in the public bodies and undertakings which are dependent on it, the staff selection bodies shall have a joint composition. 1.4 It is agreed to establish instruments to promote women's access to positions of responsibility in the General Administration of the State and in the public bodies and companies that depend on it, until it reaches parity. 1.5 It is also agreed to establish a reserve ratio of at least five percent for access to public occupations with low female representation. This measure, following the agreement with the social partners, will be extended to the private sector. 1.6 Measures to promote the incorporation and integration of women in the Armed Forces will be established:

a) The Women's Observatory is created in the Armed Forces, which will have the task of analyzing the selection processes, the integration and permanence of women in the SAF, as well as the carrying out of a study on the impact of gender.

b) It is agreed to adapt the waterings to improve the quality of life of the women of the FAS. c) The presence of women in the assessment bodies is guaranteed for the selection, promotion and allocation of destinations.

1.7 It is agreed to sign an agreement with the Association of Marisators of Galicia (AGAMAR), with the aim of finding alternative ways of employment in the fisheries and aquaculture sector.

1.8 It is agreed to sign an agreement with the International Labour Organisation (ILO) to promote equal opportunities in the fisheries and aquaculture sector through training and technical assistance.

2. Company

2.1 It is agreed to establish a programme of actions and incentives, negotiated with business organisations, that promote the incorporation of women into the management bodies of companies and their councils. administration.

2.2 It is agreed to give continuity to the agreement signed between the Institute of Women, the Directorate General for Small and Medium-sized Enterprises and La Caixa to facilitate the granting of micro-credit to women entrepreneurs and women. female entrepreneurs. In addition, it is agreed to extend these agreements with other financial institutions. 2.3 It is agreed to sign an agreement between the Women's Institute and the School of Industrial Organization to conduct courses on the creation or consolidation of companies. 2.4 It is agreed that the call for the "Prince Business Excellence" awards will include as an element of assessment the effort made in favour of parity in employment and the reconciliation of work and family life.

3. Reconciliation of work and family life

3.1 In the field of public administrations, prior to negotiation with the trade unions, the establishment of a specific mode of part-time working with the corresponding decrease is approved. remuneration, which may be paid for by persons who are elderly, children under 12 years of age or persons with disabilities.

3.2 It is possible, after negotiation with the trade union organisations, to allow the competent authorities to authorize, on a personal and temporary basis, the modification of the fixed schedule of employees and employees, with full and flexible maintenance of the relevant working day. 3.3 A programme for the creation of 25 children's schools is approved in military establishments in Madrid, Galicia, Extremadura, Andalusia, Aragon, Murcia, the Canary Islands and Castilla-La Mancha. If necessary, this measure will be extended to other military establishments. 3.4 Measures of this nature will also be taken in the General Administration of the State. 3.5 It is agreed to extend the time of booking of the destination of the professional military in a situation of voluntary leave for the care of the children, so that it is equal to that of the staff of the civil administration.

4. Research

4.1 It is agreed to create a specific unit of "Women and Science" to address the situation of women in research institutions and to improve their presence in them.

4.2 It is agreed to include, as an additional assessment criterion in the granting of aid to research projects, the participation of women in work teams. 4.3 It is agreed that an annual report on health and gender will be produced before Parliament. It is also agreed to draw up a report on sexual and reproductive health, the theme of World Health Day 2005. 4.4 It is agreed to promote the co-edition of a book between the Ministry of the Presidency and the General Cortes to publicize the parliamentary activity of women who were members of the I Legislature of Democracy. 4.5 It is agreed to promote the creation of an annual award, in collaboration with the General Cortes, to distinguish works or studies that provide knowledge or underline the meaning of the participation of women in political life, and especially in parliamentary life.

5. Solidarity

5.1 Programs supported by the Spanish Agency for International Cooperation will have among its priorities the fight against discrimination against women.

5.2 It is agreed to authorize the Government to sign the Framework Agreement between the Kingdom of Spain and the United Nations Development Fund for Women (UNIFEM), a body that monitors the needs and proposals of the movements. of women from all over the world.

6. Sport

6.1 It is agreed to create, within the Higher Sports Council, a permanent unit to develop the "Women and Sport" program.

6.2 Likewise, through the Superior Council of Sports, the Women and Sport Commission of the Spanish Olympic Committee will be subsidized. 6.3 The signing of an agreement between the Superior Council of Sports and the Institute of the Woman to promote women's sport. 6.4 The High Council of Sport is entrusted with the principle of parity in all campaigns or exhibitions for the promotion of sport. 6.5 It is agreed that the Higher Sports Council will promote research, analysis and statistics studies aimed at promoting gender equality in sport.

7. Other measures for equality

The following measures are approved within the Plan for Gender Equality in the General Administration of the State:

7.1 Measures to promote gender equality in access to public employment: all calls for selective processes for access to public employment will include, where appropriate, the reference to the under-representation of public employment. people of one of the two sexes.

7.2 Professional promotion measures for public employees:

(a) The Public Employment Observatory will include a section with a mission to ensure compliance with the principle of gender equality, channel complaints that are raised in relation to its violation, and formulate recommendations and suggestions for their development.

b) At least 40% of the places in the training courses of the management staff assigned to the General Administration of the State shall be reserved for the award of women who meet the requirements laid down in the calls. (c) In agreement with the trade union organizations, all the ministerial departments shall establish in their training plans activities aimed at the internal promotion of their employees. (d) In the provision of jobs by means of the free designation system, it shall be ensured that the proportionality is kept with the representation that each gender has in the relevant qualification group. (e) It shall be sought to obtain parity between men and women in the composition of the collective bodies of the General Administration of the State and in the committees of experts.

7.3 Measures to Promote the Value of Gender Equality in Administration:

(a) Courses and seminars aimed at the training of public employees in the value of gender equality will be held.

(b) All items approved for the purpose of conducting selective tests for access to public employment shall include issues relating to the current rules on gender equality.

7.4 Measures related to the fight against gender-based violence in the Administration:

(a) The Regulation of Administrative Situations will be amended to introduce a mode of surplus with a reserve of a place for gender-based violence.

(b) Sexual harassment in the professional relations of civil servants shall be made in the Disciplinary Regime's Rules of Procedure. (c) The corresponding measures shall be taken to make effective the preferential right in the provision of jobs of public employees who have been victims of gender-based violence.

7.5 It is agreed to implement in the websites of all ministries and public bodies sections specifically dedicated to providing information oriented to the promotion of equality.

7.6 It is agreed that public statistics will contain data disaggregated by sex that will provide information on the social situation of women in the different areas under study and, where appropriate, apply public policies. of equality. 7.7 It is agreed to sign an agreement between the Ministry of Labour and Social Affairs and the Spanish Federation of Municipalities and Provinces to promote equality plans. 7.8 The Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food is entrusted with promoting the full participation of women in the rural economy and society in the development of the Law on the Guidance of Rural Development and Agriculture. 7.9 It is agreed that the jury awarding the national awards of the various scientific and artistic disciplines will have a joint composition. 7.10 It is agreed to establish an institutional prize for the treatment of women in advertising which, on an annual basis, will reward the commercial advertising campaign that most values and dignifies the role of women, from a civic point of view and social, and promote equality of rights and opportunities between sexes.

8. Fighting gender-based violence

8.1 The creation and constitution of courts of violence on women is available.

8.2 The Special Delegation of the Government Against Violence on Women is created and its rank and functions are regulated. 8.3 The implementation of a specific plan for the insertion of women victims of gender-based violence is approved, after consultation with the autonomous communities. 8.4 It is agreed to sign collaboration agreements between the Ministry of Labor and Social Affairs and the General Council of the Judiciary, the Ministry of the Interior, the Ministry of Justice, the Attorney General of the State and the General Council of the Spanish law for the effective implementation of the tele-assistance service. 8.5 The organisation of training courses for healthcare professionals to improve their professional resources in primary care consultations is agreed. 8.6 It is agreed that the Housing Plan, which will be approved soon, will include award criteria that provide for the allocation of sheltered housing for women who have suffered gender-based violence, as well as for single-parent families.

9. Monitoring

The Ministry of Labor and Social Affairs, through the General Secretariat for Equality Policies, will follow up on the implementation of the measures included in this agreement. The First Vice-President of the Government and Minister of the Presidency will present to the Council of Ministers a report on the degree of compliance during the first quarter of 2006.