National Focal Point Spain

News

Spanish Queen endorses Promociona project

 Her Majesty the Queen of Spain chaired the seminar “Promociona, Women on decision-making positions”, which provides a strong boost to a project with excellent results that will continue beyond the EEA Grants.

Sustainable projects

 Promociona project didn’t come to an end with the EEA Grants closing. The Spanish Association of Executives and Directors created by the projects’ participants is committed to carry its spirit and objectives forward. In September, the Association organized the I Financial Forum.

70 projects closer to full gender equality

 11 million euros, 70 projects funded more than 15,000 direct female beneficiaries… and above all a big success: taking a few more steps toward gender equality. These are the excellent results of Gender Equality and Work-Life Balance Programme, co-financed by the EEA Grants.

Towards gender balance in business leadership

 The fact that equality between men and women is not only a matter of justice but of economic profitability is amply demonstrated. However, figures still speak of a ‘glass ceiling’ in business. In order to assess causes and consequences, the conference “Towards gender balance in business leadership: opportunities and challenges” was held within the framework of the EEA Grants.

25 ways of boosting female entrepreneurship

 New companies, IT training, female business networks… These are some results of the 25 projects developed to promote women’s entrepreneurship within the Gender Equality Programme funded by the EEA Grants.

Female employment to end social exclusion

 Ending social exclusion lies in socio-labour inclusion. Having in mind this idea, 25 projects have been developed, with EEA Grants funding, in order to encourage the labour and social inclusion of women belonging to vulnerable groups, with very encouraging results.

A before and an after

 Promociona’s second edition concluded with the diploma delivery to the 70 female participants for whom the project has meant a before and an after in their professional careers.

Promoting female entrepreneurship to “change Spain”

 Women Entrepreneurship in Emerging Sectors Project closing event was attended by the Spanish Minister of Labour and Social Security, Fátima Báñez, who delivered the diploma to the female participants.

An effective way to make networking

 Promociona project is not only achieving the objective of increasing the number of women on Boards of Directors, but it is also fostering an important female network, thanks to activities such as Promociona Breakfast.

Improving coordination in the fight against gender violence

 Six Spanish regions have developed innovative plans of institutional coordination and personalized assistance to victims of gender violence with the EEA Grants help.

‘Promociona women’ create the Spanish Association of Executives and Directors

 With the boost of Promociona project, co-financed by the EEA Grants, the Spanish Association of Executives and Directors has been created aiming at continuing the promotion of women to Steering Committees and Boards.

Tackling gender pay gap

 European female workers earn 30% less than men. In order to fight against gender pay gap, the Spanish Gender Equality Programme has set 1.7 million euros aside for 9 projects, developed by Universities, trade unions and business organizations, with innovative results regarding both the nature of the subject and the solutions to it.

190 success stories

 Lourdes, Soledad, Eva, Raquel or Carolina are only five out of 190 women that have taken part in Emprende Plus Project, within EEA Grants Gender Equality Programme, a project which fights for equal opportunities through female entrepreneurship support.

Equality as a competitive advantage

 In Norway, 25% of positions of responsibility in cooperatives are occupied by women. In Spain, 3.5%. A project developed by the Spanish Women’s Institute and for Equal Opportunities and Agri-food Cooperatives in Spain has fostered best practices exchange between the two countries with excellent results.

The third edition of the Promociona project begins

 76 female managers will take part in the third edition of a project which aims at encouraging a higher number of women executives on Board of Directors, an objective which is being achieved in the previous two editions.

Designing a new social model

 For the reconciliation of working and family life and co-responsibility to become an everyday reality, a mobilization of the society is needed, starting at local level. This is the basis of the Equilibrio-Balance Project, within the EEA Grants Gender Equality Programme, whose results were presented at a seminar on 1st and 2nd of September.

Third drive to female entrepreneurship

 Third edition of the Women Entrepreneurship in Emerging Sectors project, promoted by Incyde Foundation within the EEA Grants Gender Equality Programme is already in progress.

A project for exporting talent through Internet

 One of the greatest obstacles to set up a business is the lack of business training or guidance. To address this challenge, Carmen Palanca, a young entrepreneur in Valencia (Spain), attended the Women Entrepreneurship Project, co-financed by the EEA Grants and the experience, in her words, could not have been more positive.

The experience of turning an idea into a business

 Ana Martínez had a business idea but she lacked business training to implement it. After taking part in Women Entrepreneurship in Emerging Sectors Project within the EEA Grants Gender Equality Programme, her interactive tourism and cultural experiences app is already on the market.

More equality also in rural areas

 Esperanza Mora is the manager of the agrifood cooperative in a small village in Mallorca (Spain). She is one of these tiny 3% of women on boards in cooperatives in Spain. For that reason, she took part in the Female Entrepreneurship and Leadership Workshop, co-financed by the EEA Grants, because many things have changed but many more must change.

Fostering female entrepreneurship in Spain

 Lola has designed a device for clothes identification; Ana, an interactive tourism app; Blanca, a new lodging concept for international students. And so on until 22 projects, the participants in the Women Entrepreneurship Project that finished last December in Valencia (Spain).

Turning work-life balance into reality in Spain

 Awareness-raising campaigns, counsel to companies, education in co-responsibility… These are some of the measures included in the Work-Life Balance Plans designed by 15 Spanish municipalities and 2 Norwegian within the framework of the Equilibrio-Balance Project, co-financed by the EEA Grants.

The first 40 'Promociona Women'

 The first edition of the Promociona Project to encourage a higher number of women executives on Boards of Directors was closed in 22 January with excellent results: 6 out of 40 women participants have been promoted so far and a second edition with 70 participants is in progress.

Gender pay gap from another angle

 On average, women earn 16% less than men in Spain. But, why such difference exists? And most importantly, what could be done to avoid it? A project from Universidad San Pablo CEU and the Association for the Rational planning of the Spanish work timetables (ARHOE), financed by the EEA Grants, is developing a comprehensive study of the situation and will propose measures to reduce inequality in Spain.

"Carry on, women entrepreneurs, we need you"

 To promote entrepreneurship is to promote economic development. Norway, Iceland and Liechtenstein have understood that and they support, through the EEA Grants, a training project for female entrepreneurs promoted by the Spanish Secretary of State for Social Services and Equality.

Spain and Norway exchange good practices on gender violence

 Experts gathered at a bilateral seminar held on 18 December in Madrid exchanged good practices and lessons learned in raising awareness and socio-labour insertion of women victims of gender violence in both countries.

The second edition of the Promociona Project begins

 An official event chaired by CEOE president and Norwegian Ambassador in Spain marks the start of the second edition of a project which is proving to be a considerable success, not only for the first edition outcomes but also for the large number of applications.

How to apply in Spain the Norwegian family policy

 Nordic Family policy is recognized worldwide for the progress towards gender equality and work-life balance and for its good economic results. But, such measures can be implemented in Spain? 'Leadership, Diversity and Work-Life Balance' Seminar, financed by the EEA Grants, put the issue into the limelight.

Merit promotions and without 'anchors'

 Beatriz de Dios is the Head of the Quality Department in Renault Valladolid. Only the hard work of this Engineer in a traditionally male sector has allowed her to develop her career. But the last push has come from the EEA Grants.

Equality as a mandatory subject

 Plurales project, which aims to contribute to the implementation of a school model based on equality, is beginning to bearfruit. A good example is IES Francisco García Pavón in Tomelloso (Ciudad Real).

5 million euros against gender gap

 61 projects funded with 5,4 million euros have been selected within the EEA Grants Gender Equality Programme to promote gender equality in business, female entrepreneurship and socio-labour insertion of vulnerable women.

5 reasons to enhance gender equality in business

 Renowned CEOs, experts and politicians discussed the benefits of the increasing incorporation of women to decision-making positions and some steps to achieve this goal, in the Encounter “Women, Economy and Business” in UIMP in Santander, financed by the EEA Grants.

Promociona Project second edition is just about to begin

 On September 1st opens the deadline for submitting proposals to participate in the second edition of Promociona Project. A project financed by the EEA Grants within the Gender Equality Programme for raising awareness, training, professional growth, the development of leadership and the promotion of women to decision-making positions within their companies.

Putting gender equality in business in the limelight

 Gender pay gap, glass ceiling, work-life balance, talent and diversity, equal opportunities for men and women… All this issues will be discussed in the Encounter "Women, Economy and Business", organized by the Spanish Ministry of Health, Social Services and Equality and financed by the EEA Grants.

The challenges of being a female entrepreneur in a rural area

 If setting up a business is a major challenge, taking the reins of a family business is equally tough. Ruth Lázaro had never been interested in managing a company. However, family responsibilities far outweighed her vocation, so when his father had to leave the job, she got in charge, but she needed training and guidance and she found it in the "Women entrepreneurship in emerging sectors" project, promoted by Incyde Foundation, within the EEA Grants Gender Equality Programme.

Improving work-life balance in Spain

 Generous parental leaves policies, childcare allowances, flexible working hours… Norway has much to share with Spain in work-life balance policies.

Biomedical research is also a 'women's thing'

 BA in Pharmacy, Medical Doctor and with a wide experience in Biomedical Research. The objective of Patricia Rodríguez Fortúnez was very clear: to set up a biomedical consulting company. She just needed a little help to embark on entrepreneurship.

Changing the world one step at a time

 A step is all that is required to start the process of changing the world. Modest though it may be. IES Francisco García Pavón in Tomelloso (Ciudad Real) is working on it. This high school has introduced an Equality Plan, well aware that school is the right place to foster principles and values. This initiative is included within the project Equal Education (Plurales), promoted by Women’s Institute in the framework of Gender Equality Programme funded by EEA Grants

A ‘sweet tooth’ Project

 From Venezuelan Parliament to creative pastry in Santander, north of Spain. This is the long road travelled by María Eugenia Hands Gómez, one of the participants in the Project Women Entrepreneurship in Emerging Sectors, promoted by INCYDE and financed by EEA Grants.