Barcelona City Council is promoting the network of gender mainstreaming units (UTGs) with the aim of guaranteeing gender mainstreaming throughout the whole organisation. The UTGs are made up of one or more gender mainstreaming role models (RTGs). The initiative is a response to the legal obligation set out in article 21 of the Gender Equity Regulations.
The Gender Mainstreaming Role Model Network is a space for coordination and ongoing cooperation between the different role models that are part of the gender mainstreaming units in all areas, districts, autonomous government bodies, publicly owned businesses, and municipal trading companies.
This network, which will meet at least twice a year, is intended to be permanent, and is expected to grow. For this reason, it is open to other organisations with links to Barcelona City Council which despite not being obliged to do so by law, decided to set up gender mainstreaming units and designate staff to work in this area. Here it is worth highlighting good practice at the Libraries Consortium, which has designated staff to act as a point of reference on gender mainstreaming and has already joined this network.
Notably, Barcelona City Council is a pioneer in the creation of such a network, clearly reflecting its commitment to gender equity.
The network responds to a legal obligation
On 11 May 2022, a municipal regulation came into force requiring the creation of gender mainstreaming units (UTGs) in all areas, in all ten Barcelona districts, all autonomous government bodies, municipal trading companies and publicly owned businesses. These units, staffed by people with expertise in gender mainstreaming, are tasked with incorporating the gender perspective into the operation and activities of the whole municipal corporation, based on the same criteria.
Specifically, the mayoral decree approving the creation of the organisational structure for the effective establishment of gender mainstreaming units requires the formation of 40 of them, and the designation of at least 40 gender mainstreaming role models.
In March 2023, 10 months after these regulations came into force, 38 UTGs have been created and a total of 54 gender mainstreaming role models have been assigned. Furthermore, a network of gender mainstreaming role models has been set up, which was launched on 12 December 2022, at the Convent de Sant Agustí.
At this event, the network was officially established, and joint work spaces were created to facilitate the drawing up of annual work plans to be developed and implemented by the gender mainstreaming units.
View the video on what the Gender Mainstreaming Role Model Network is, and the role models’ responsibilities.