EMAKUNDE - THE BASQUE INSTITUTE FOR WOMEN

 

ABOUT US

Emakunde, the Basque Institute for Women, is an autonomous body of the Basque Government which designs, promotes, advises on, coordinates and evaluates equality policies and raises awareness within society in order to achieve the real and effective equality of women and men in the Basque Autonomous Community.

• What is Emakunde? What we do? (PDF, 600 KB)

 

 

WHAT WE DO

The two most important areas of activity of the institute are, on the one hand, working  with public administrations, consolidating the structures for promoting equality within them and promoting the implementation of gender mainstreaming measures in all public policies, and, on the other hand, working with society in general, promoting the empowerment of women, equality in private companies, the prevention of violence against women, offering advice and defence in cases of discrimination and raising awareness within society in favour of equality.

 

EQUALITY IN PUBLIC POLICY

Emakunde promotes, advises on, coordinates and monitors the policies of public institutions (health, education, economy, employment, culture, social services, security, urban planning ...) in relation to the equality of women and men. To this end, it prepares legislation, verifies reports on the potential impact of legislation regarding the situation of women  and men, coordinates various committees and institutional networks that work to achieve equality, subsidises appraisals and plans regarding equality within local administrations, develops materials to promote governance for equality and imparts training in equality, among other activities.

• Equality policies for women and men in the Basque Autonomous Community (PDF, 500 KB)

• 4/2005 Equal Opportunities between Men and Women Act of 18 February (PDF, 178 KB)

• Gender equality index (PDF, 2.5 MB)

• Financing and accountability for gender equality: The case of the autonomous region of the Basque Country (PDF, 400 KB)

• Strategy and action plan for reducing the gender pay gap in Basque Country (PDF, 900 KB)

 

EQUALITY IN PRIVATE COMPANIES AND ORGANISATIONS

Emakunde promotes measures for private companies and other entities to incorporate equality policies in their internal organisation and in the services they provide. In addition to advising and subsidising these for diagnostic studies and plans for equality, it presents annual awards to organisations that stand out for their commitment in this area. It also promotes the creation of pro-equality synergies in different organisations through forums, collaborative networks and other initiatives.

• Support service for businesses to promote the equality of women a men (PDF, 2.5 MB)

 

ADVOCACY

Emakunde is responsible for defending the rights of female and male citizens in situations of gender discrimination in the private sector, complementing the work carried out in the public sector by the Basque ombudsman (Ararteko) in this area. In order to correct these discriminatory practices or situations, it provides advice, conducts research, both ex officio or at the request of a party, facilitates negotiations and makes recommendations.

 

EMPOWERMENT AND PARTICIPATION

Emakunde encourages women to become aware of the inequalities that affect them and promotes their personal, collective and socio-political empowerment, through technical advice and financial support to women’s associations, support in networking with a gender perspective, promoting their active participation in the various sectoral bodies that maintain a dialogue with the government and through structures for political participation, such as the Advisory Committee of Emakunde.

 

VIOLENCE AGAINST WOMEN

Emakunde promotes programmes to prevent violence against women, proposes intervention policies, and coordinates and evaluates care services for women who suffer this type of violence, which are provided directly by government departments and the provincial and local institutions, in accordance with their respective competences.

• Institutional response to violence against women in the Basque Country (PDF, 500 KB)

• What should we do in cases of violence against women? A guide to resources and services (PDF, 600 KB)

Emakunde  has been concerned about how to respond to the needs of disabled women since the organisation was first created. The various equality plans that have guided Basque public policy over recent years have compiled objectives and actions which support access to resources, statistical improvements, the eradication of poverty and the full exercise of social rights.

In this context, in 2015 Emakunde launched a process of reflection as part of the work carried out by the Technical Group of the “Second institutional agreement for improving the care of female victims of domestic abuse and sexual violence”. The outcome was the document titled “Intervention recommendations for women with functional diversity who are victims of violence”. Published in 2017, this document aims to facilitate continued progress in establishing guidelines for professionals who work with disabled women and girls who are victims of violence and to improve the care that these people receive, by means of empowerment and independence.

A new guide was launched in 2019 as a result of the collaboration between Emakunde and Edeka, an organisation with access to experts in this field. The aims of this new guide is to improve the knowledge held by professionals who care for these victims, to raise awareness of women with various types of disability and to improve the care they receive.
 
• Women with disabilities who are victims of violence. Intervention guidelines (PDF, 1.5 MB)

• Disabled women and girls who are victims of gender-based violence. Intervention guidelines (PDF, 1 MB)

 

CHANGING VALUES

Emakunde conducts workshops, courses and seminars, as well as campaigns, forums and communicative activities that seek to sensitize and raise awareness within society in favour of a change of values to promote the equality of women and men and the elimination of roles and stereotypes that prevent this. It also carries out studies and compiles statistics, produces publications and advises on the study and research of gender relations and their impact on society. The institute also works for the elimination of all forms of discrimination on grounds of sex, in the fields of advertising and communication, through the Advisory Committee for non-sexist advertising and communication, Begira.

Nahiko Programme:

Advisory Committee for non-sexist advertising and communication, Begira:

Gizonduz Initiative to boost the awareness, participation and involvement of men in supporting equality between women and men: