Spain’s Anti-discrimination and Equal Treatment Proposal

Leire Pajin, Spain’s Minister of Health, Social Policy and Equality

Last month, the Cabinet of Spanish President Jose Luis Rodriguez Zapatero approved the submission to the Parliament of the draft of the Law on Equal Treatment (Ley de Igualdad de Trato), a legislative initiative which was part of the Spanish Socialist Workers’ Party (Partido Socialista Obrero Español) electoral program and goes in line with  its commitment to promote equality in Spain through legislation.

The full text of the Anteproyecto de Ley Integral para la Igualdad de Trato y No Discriminación can be downloaded in pdf at migualdad.es

The said website says that “Spain has made great progress in recent years in terms of equality and non-discrimination. This proposal takes another step further and aims to guarantee this right.  This law intends not to let ‘anybody get away with discrimination’, that Spanish society be active with a change of attitude that rejects any form of discrimination for any reason, and to enable all people to exercise their right to non-discrimination, to guarantee respect for and appreciation of social diversity.”

The Ministry has also opened an email where people can send their comments and suggestions regarding the bill: buzon-dgiecd@migualdad.es.

Some media outfits which have rightist orientation may warn us that this bill could violate other fundamental rights. The more moderate media, on the other hand, claim that this is not as complete and accurate as it should be.  As the Zapatero goverment has usually done, this could be incomplete, a law in its first phase and to be finished later on, given that they can get a new legislature.

From here we invite everyone in Spain, born or residing here, to read the Draft carefully, and make the necessary comments and suggestions. Francisco Javier Gutiérrez