Portugal

Governmental gender equality bodies

Portugal is one of the few EU Member States that benefits from the presence of two governmental bodies with a mandate for gender equality.

The first is the CIG, a governmental agency that focuses on gender equality together with other equality-related functions. Its mission is to implement public policy in the field of citizenship, promote and defend gender equality, combat domestic and gender-based violence (including female genital mutilation) and human trafficking, and coordinate the relevant instruments.

The CIG is always consulted by ministries and departments on new and existing policies, laws or programmes that relate to gender equality, violence against women and domestic violence, and issues affecting people identifying as lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, intersex or queer. Alongside this, the CIG is involved in all cross-cutting plans and strategies, even when they are coordinated by other governmental departments.

In 2023, the CIG had a budget of EUR 6 908 081, with 64 % of the budget dedicated to project costs relating to gender equality (i.e. non-administrative costs). The CIG has 68 employees, who spend between 75 % and 100 % of their time on gender equality work.

The second governmental body responsible for promoting gender equality in Portugal is the Commission for Equality in Labour and Employment (Comissão para a Igualdade no Trabalho e no Emprego (CITE)).^[6] Established in 1979, CITE focuses on promoting equality between women and men in the labour market. Additionally, the commission addresses the protection of parenting and work–life balance priorities. CITE is a collegial and tripartite body composed of representatives of the Ministry for Employment and the Ministry of Labour, Solidarity and Social Security, trade union representatives and one representative of each employer’s association.

In 2023, CITE had an annual budget of EUR 1 686 773. As a result of the Institute for Employment and Vocational Training covering the administrative and operational costs of CITE to help it fulfil its mission, CITE is able to allocate 100 % of its budget to project and programme costs related to gender equality.

Under Law No 10/2001, Article 1(1), at the end of each legislative session the government must submit a report to parliament on the advancement of equal opportunities for women and men in work, employment and training.^[7] This report is published by CITE.^[8] The CIG also submits reports on the monitoring of its action plans to parliament. Moreover, the members of the government responsible for gender equality are called to parliament (including in a separate parliamentary committee) to report on policy developments several times a year.

In Portugal, there is an interdepartmental structure with the mission of coordinating gender mainstreaming activities, with one person nominated a ‘ministerial equality counsellor’ in each ministry. In the current government structure, there are 19 ministries, with a total of 38 effective and deputies. Each counsellor’s duties include ensuring the effective integration of gender considerations into the policies and actions implemented within their ministry and serving as a mediator between the CIG and ministry. Furthermore, in each ministry, a small group of people (up to five) is nominated to join interdepartmental equality teams, whose functions are coordinated by the ministerial equality counsellor.^[9] These counsellors have a seat on the monitoring committees for each of the action plans under the ENIND, as well as on the CIG’s consultative body, thus fostering coordination.

Independent gender equality body

CITE is both a governmental body and an independent body working towards gender equality.

CITE can receive complaints and issue binding and non-binding opinions. Departments and ministries often consult CITE about new or existing policies, laws or programmes, but only those concerning subjects that relate to its mission, namely promoting equality between women and men in work, employment and vocational training. These consultations lead to adjustments in nearly all cases. CITE has a total of 24 employees who spend 75–100 % of their time on gender equality work.

Parliamentary body

Portugal’s Parliamentary Committee on Constitutional Affairs, Rights, Freedoms and Guarantees (Comissão de assuntos constitucionais, direitos, liberdades e garantias), including a subcommittee on equality and non-discrimination, was established in 2015. The subcommittee is mandated by the parliament’s internal rules and regulations and does not have a dedicated budget. Rather, its activities are integrated into the general parliamentary duties of each member. The members of the government responsible for gender equality are called to parliament (including members of this parliamentary committee) to report on policy developments several times a year.

Regional structure

Since 2010, local equality advisers have been working with the mayor of each municipality in Portugal. Appointed by the mayor, these advisers monitor equality strategies, submit proposals, conduct gender impact assessments and ensure cooperation with the CIG on a voluntary basis.

In 2012, cooperation protocols between the CIG and municipalities were introduced to promote gender equality. These ‘new-generation protocols’, signed from 2019 onwards, are aligned with ENIND and have a duration of three years, which may be renewed. Currently, 254 municipalities have a protocol, with 205 having a new-generation protocol.^[10] Additionally, municipalities are required to integrate gender considerations into municipal equality plans, mandated by Law No 75/2013.^[11] Currently, 108 out of 308 municipalities have adopted such plans.^[12]

Consultation with civil society

Portugal has a long history of civil-society involvement in gender equality efforts. ENIND promotes partnerships with academia, the private sector and civil society, recognising their local knowledge and active role in policy formulation and execution. ENIND aims to ‘reinforce the involvement of civil-society organisations, taking account of their special proximity and empirical knowledge of local contexts to which public policies apply and their target groups. They are privileged stakeholders, actively and substantively participating in the (re)formulation and execution of public policies.’ Civil-society organisations were involved in the drafting of ENIND and contributed to the revision of the action plans.^[13]

Since the 1970s, the CIG has included an advisory body with interministerial, non-governmental organisation (NGO) and technical/scientific sections within its structure.^[14] The NGO section has grown from 12 associations in 1975 to 40 today, contributing to the design and implementation of policy and to the CIG’s annual activities. Moreover, in accordance with Resolution of the Council of Ministers No 61/2018 approving ENIND, NGOs are included on all monitoring committees.^[15]

The CIG distributes funds to NGOs and civil-society organisations working in the field of gender equality and other equality- and discrimination-related fields, such as issues affecting people who identify as lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, intersex or queer. In 2023, the CIG distributed EUR 199 961 46 to 23 NGOs working in the field of equality between women and men.^[16]