She arrives at the ministry on the eve of the celebration of 25N, which will once again show the division of feminism forged in the previous legislature
The new Minister of Equality, Ana Redondo, was until the last municipal elections on May 28, deputy mayor and councilor for Tourism and Culture in the Valladolid city council. Redondo was therefore the number two of the then mayor of Valladolid, Óscar Puente, who will now be the new Minister of Transport.
His arrival recovers for the PSOE the Equality portfolio, which has been directed, not without controversy, by Irene Montero, who is left out of the Executive and Parliament. Furthermore, it does so a few days before the celebration of November 25, International Day for the Elimination of Violence against Women, in which the split of feminism in Spain will once again be staged, forged starting in 2022 as a result, among other issues. , of its differences with the Trans Law or the abolition of prostitution.
Redondo has acknowledged feeling “happy and excited” to assume responsibility as the next Minister of Equality, a department that she has described as “key and transversal” to which “many of the advances” in women’s rights are owed.
This was stated by Redondo, in statements to Europa Press, after learning that Pedro Sánchez has proposed the former socialist spokesperson in the Cortes, deputy mayor in the Valladolid City Council and Councilor for Culture as the future Minister of Equality to replace Irene. Huntsman.
“Very excited, eager to start, excited and nervous,” is how Redondo feels after learning of her appointment while acknowledging that for her “it is an important position because it is a great responsibility” that she assumes.
Redondo has explained that he was at the party’s disposal, as he conveyed to Félix Bolaños a few days ago when he asked him about his availability, although he had returned to the University a few months ago.
Likewise, this Law graduate from Valladolid feels “very proud to belong to a chain of fighters and feminists” that has made Spain “a benchmark in terms of equality.”
Ana Redondo was born in Valladolid, in 1966, she has a degree in Law and a Doctor in Constitutional Law, and she is also a professor of Constitutional Law at the University of Valladolid.
Redondo was Secretary of Training of the PSOE of Valladolid between 2004 and 2008 and attorney in the Cortes of Castilla y León since 2007, where she was vice spokesperson of the Socialist Parliamentary Group between 2007 and 2008 to later become the spokesperson between 2008 and 2011, a time in the one in which Óscar López occupied the Autonomous Secretary of the PSOE without having a seat in the Cortes.
Subsequently, when López managed to gain access to the Cortes, Redondo resumed his responsibilities as vice-spokesperson until 2014, when he returned to the Speaker’s Office for only one year, since in 2015 he moved to the Valladolid City Council to be Councilor for Culture and second deputy mayor with the team of Óscar Puente, today also appointed Minister of Transportation.
PENDING CHALLENGES
Thus, the socialist faces pending challenges such as the comprehensive law against human trafficking, which covers “each and every one of the different forms of trafficking, with special attention to those that mainly affect women,” as stated the agreement between PSOE and Sumar.
Both parties, in their agreement, have also committed to renewing the State Pact against Gender Violence, with the aim of “reinforcing its effectiveness and comprehensively addressing forms of violence that are currently not sufficiently regulated (trafficking). for the purposes of sexual exploitation, sexual harassment, workplace harassment based on sex, cybercrimes or vicarious violence)”.
Likewise, PSOE and SUMAR have committed to strengthening the fight against sexist violence with a “sufficient” allocation to guarantee prevention, and reinforce care, protection and reparation for victims.
Likewise, among other measures, Sánchez and Díaz have committed to promoting comprehensive care services for women in health centers and social services centers, places that they indicate should be used as “universal screening spaces.” for cases of gender violence.
The pact also refers to the Forensic Assessment Units and Courts specialized in Violence against Women.
LAW OF ONLY YES IS YES
Another of the pending challenges that Redondo will have to face will be to strengthen the means to guarantee an “effective” application of the Sexual Freedom Law, known as the ‘only yes means yes’ Law.
Likewise, as specified in the agreement between PSOE and Sumar, an action protocol will have to be created to be followed in hospitals for the custody of the evidence and the notification to the court of those cases of women who may have been victims of the crime. called “chemical submission.”
On the other hand, the agreement reflects their desire to form a parliamentary majority to promote a Care Law in coherence with the European Care Strategy.
In the workplace, the recovery of the Law on Equal Representation is pending, for a balanced presence of women and men, which will pay “special attention” to measures aimed at preventing and eliminating violence and harassment at work, including anti-harassment protocols.
Likewise, with the aim of protecting the sexual and reproductive rights of women, PSOE and Sumar have promised to guarantee, through the High Inspection, “effective access to the right to abortion from public health services throughout the territory and in conditions of equality and proximity”. They have also agreed that they will promote access to assisted reproduction techniques financed by the public sector for women, without discrimination against lesbian or single women.
Regarding single-parent families, made up mostly of women, they commit to developing support measures to “reduce the feminization of poverty”, as well as to “equalize the rights” of these families, especially in the area of ??care. Specifically, they want to guarantee for single-parent families with 2 or more children the “same level of social protection” as large families.
STATE PACT FOR LGTBI RIGHTS
Furthermore, the President of the Government, Pedro Sánchez, committed to carrying out a State Pact for LGTBI people during his first intervention in the investiture debate in the Congress of Deputies. “Today more than ever, a State pact for LGTBI people is necessary and the new progressive coalition government is committed to doing so,” he said.
In addition, PSOE and Sumar have agreed to work to achieve the “complete eradication” of the so-called ‘conversion therapies’ and to guarantee that work is a space “free of harassment or discrimination” due to sexual orientation, gender expression or identity and characteristics. sexual.
They also want to promote “recognition, respect and legal and social treatment under conditions of equality of the various models of family and coexistence that exist” and they want them to be “equal in rights”, particularly in adoption processes. Finally, they commit to approving a Law against Racism, in line with the European Union Anti-Racism Action Plan 2020-2025.
