In the words of Aina Calvo Sastre: “If we continue on this path, it will take around 100 years to achieve gender equality”

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Aina Calvo Sastre
Aina Calvo Sastre, State Secretary for Equality and the Eradication of Violence against Women, Spain, during the Beijing+30 Regional Review Meeting, Geneva, Switzerland. Photo: UN Women/ Antoine Tardy

Ms. Aina Calvo Sastre is the State Secretary for Equality and the Eradication of Violence against Women in Spain. She has also served as the Government Delegate in the Balearic Islands since February 2020. During the Beijing+30 Regional Review Meeting, titled “Reviewing 30 Years of Beijing Commitments to Accelerate Gender Equality in the UNECE Region,” held on 21-22 October 2024, Ms. Calvo Sastre spoke about the importance of women’s leadership and their full and equal participation in decision-making, the current global situation, and Spain’s achievements in this regard.

“Looking back at the last five years and reflecting on Spain's evolution means recognizing the challenges that remain, but also acknowledging the efforts made. We are very concerned about the global backlash against women's rights and the rise of anti-gender movements both in our country and internationally. However, Spain has been pioneering in several areas.

For instance, we have worked to ensure and expand sexual and reproductive rights, including the right to voluntary termination of pregnancy. Likewise, we have been at the forefront of implementing regulations to eradicate domestic and gender-based violence, making this issue a state policy in coordination with all public administrations and civil society, and achieving political consensus. We are currently renewing this state pact. 

Following the ratification of the Istanbul Convention, Spain has been incorporating all forms of violence against women that were not recognized, as well as new forms that have emerged. Macroeconomic data is encouraging, especially concerning women’s access to education and the labor market. Gender gaps are narrowing thanks to the laws and public policies that have been implemented.

 We have also passed an ambitious law on equal and balanced representation to ensure the presence of women in leadership positions in politics and business, which transposes and extends the European directive. In 2020, we reinstated the Ministry of Equality, elevating equality policies to the highest level within the government and ensuring gender mainstreaming across all policies. In line with these principles, in 2021, the Spanish government adopted a feminist foreign policy to promote equality in its foreign action. 

According to the European Institute for Gender Equality, Spain is the fourth most advanced country in the European Union in terms of equality between women and men. My country is working closely with all Member States and UN Women to reach ambitious yet realistic Agreed Conclusions within the framework of the Commission on the Status of Women.

 The findings from UN Women's Gender Snapshot 2024 on the progress of women's rights and the Sustainable Development Goals (SDG) are concerning. If we continue on this path, it will take around 100 years to achieve gender equality. As we look ahead to the 30th commemoration of the adoption of the Beijing Declaration and Platform for Action, we will work diligently on our declaration, which should reflect the international community’s commitment to achieving gender equality, as outlined in SDG 5. 

In Spain, we believe that this Declaration must be ambitious. Otherwise, it would be a missed opportunity to advance towards the achievement of the 2030 Agenda, and we will do our utmost to ensure is the best possible one.”