The Madrid City Council is moving forward with the development of the new Equality Strategy between women and men in the city of Madrid 2025-2028, which will guide the most ambitious expansion project of resources for the prevention, detection, care, and reparation of gender-based violence since the Council began implementing equality policies in the year 2000. The plan, driven by the Area of Social Policies, Family, and Equality led by José Fernández, will also promote actions that involve citizens in the common goal of achieving a society that is equal and free of violence against women. As a transformative initiative, there is a focus on bringing ambulatory care for victims of gender-based violence to the 21 districts through the new Comprehensive Women’s Care Centers (CIAM).
In 2025, it marks 25 years since the approval of the first Equality Plan of the Madrid City Council. Since then, the Madrid City Council has implemented specific policies to address gender gaps and eradicate gender-based violence, as well as cross-cutting policies in all areas of municipal administration to address these challenges with a comprehensive approach. To achieve this, the investment (in definitive credit) allocated to equality policies and against gender-based violence has increased from 19.2 million euros in 2019 to 25.9 million euros in 2024. In 2025, the budget has seen an extraordinary increase and amounts to 29 million euros.
This financial effort aims to counterbalance figures such as the ClosinGap index, which estimates that Spain will not achieve full equality until the year 2062, or the number of reports of gender-based violence, which rose to 32,004 in the Community of Madrid in 2024, a 6.6% increase from 2023. Additionally, as reflected in the Gender Gap Indicators System of Madrid, inequalities persist in employment (women represent 74% of part-time contracts), co-responsibility (with 85% of childcare leaves requested by women), education (with 16% of women enrolled in STEM careers), or sports (with a female participation rate in team sports of 26%). These are realities that the new Equality Strategy will address.
Key Initiatives of the Strategy
- New Comprehensive Women’s Care Centers (CIAM): The current spaces for equality and ambulatory care centers for victims of gender-based violence in the context of relationships or ex-relationships will be transformed into Comprehensive Women’s Care Centers (CIAM). This will not only expand existing resources for psychological, social, and legal assistance but also bring care closer to female victims through a network of centers present in all 21 districts.
- Unique Risk Assessment System: The strategy also includes the development of a validated tool that allows professionals from different municipal resources to assess the risk in situations of gender-based violence, considering its preventive dimension. A unique risk assessment method will be designed to provide homogeneity to the system and improve networking among professionals from various social intervention areas of the Council.
- Public-Private Collaboration in Equality and Gender-based Violence: Channels for raising awareness in equality and against gender-based violence will be extended to civil society. New collaboration agreements will be promoted with party venues and recreational spaces to create safe environments and reduce the risk of sexual violence incidents.
- Autonomy through Employment: Various actions will be implemented to improve the employability of women and their retention in employment to ensure their economic autonomy. This includes a new agreement between the Area of Social Policies, Family, and Equality and the Employment Agency to promote women’s access to the labor market.
- Promotion of Conciliation and Shared Responsibility: Measures will be implemented to promote family reconciliation and ensure an equitable distribution of caregiving responsibilities. Good practices within the Administration in promoting equality, preventing and addressing gender-based violence, and incorporating the principle of equality into municipal public policies will be recognized.
- Promotion of Women’s Sports: Efforts will be made to increase women’s participation in sports, especially in male-dominated disciplines, and prevent early dropout of girls from sports. Existing measures, such as a 50% reduction in registration fees for Municipal Sports Games for teams composed entirely of women, will be complemented.
- Promotion of STEM Vocations and Prevention of School Absenteeism: The aim is to promote STEM vocations in girls and young women through collaboration with public and private entities. Educational programs will be implemented to prevent and intervene with students, families, and teachers to combat school absenteeism, which primarily affects girls in vulnerable situations.
The goals set by the Equality Strategy will also be pursued through other municipal plans, such as the Dignitas Strategy 2022-2027, which includes a specific approach to homelessness affecting women due to their increased vulnerability to violence on the streets. Additionally, the Strategic Plan for Social Services 2023-2027 places the promotion of equality as a cross-cutting axis in social intervention, and the upcoming immigration strategy will focus on equality and combating violence.
In the coming days, an active listening process with civil society will begin to gather input that can complement the strategy. The final text will be submitted to the Government Board in the second half of the year. The plan is a living document, so new measures may be incorporated during its execution based on the continuous evaluation it will undergo. /
