SANTA CRUZ DE TENERIFE, 22nd April. (EUROPA PRESS) –
The Parliament of the Canary Islands has established the Equality Plan Oversight Committee, comprised of members from the Legislative Chamber and staff, with two main objectives: to finalise the implementation of the I Equality Programme and to launch the II Equality Programme in 2025.
President Astrid Pérez emphasized the commitment demonstrated by the institution, having already “completed 74% of the planned actions in the first programme, which is set to conclude on 31st December.”
Astrid Pérez, who also chairs this committee, outlined that “the current programme revolves around three main pillars: work-life balance and working conditions, with 13 actions completed and 3 pending; promoting inclusive language and equal communication, with 6 actions implemented and only two outstanding over the next 8 months, and training, raising awareness, and social impact, with nine actions executed and five still in progress.”
They have expressed their determination to “continue working” to ensure that all these actions are fulfilled by the end of the year.
As part of this programme, the Parliament of the Canary Islands released a guideline in this 11th Legislature with recommendations for adopting non-sexist and inclusive language in the parliamentary realm.
Among the outstanding initiatives, there is the formulation of an accessible guide detailing essential information on measures supporting work-life balance for Chamber staff; engaging deputies in proposing new measures that promote balance; establishing a task force to advance the review and adaptation of parliamentary and administrative documents for internal and external communication to inclusive language, and implementing a training program for management staff, service directors, and legal advisors.
In addition to the president, the Equality Programme oversight committee includes Elena Máñez Rodríguez, a deputy appointed by the Canary Islands Socialist Group; Cristina Calero García (CC); Luz Reverón González (PP); Natalia Santana (NC-BC); Marta Gómez Gómez (VOX); Melodie Mendoza (ASG); and Raúl Acosta Armas, a deputy from the Mixed GP.
Also, Salvador Iglesias Machado, the parliament’s General Secretary-Lawyer; Carmen María Barreto Hernández, the Director of Internal Affairs and head of Personnel, Documentation, Library, and Archives, who acts as the coordinator of the Equality Programme Oversight Committee; lawyer Jorge Luis Méndez Lima; Luis Rodrigo Álvarez Arderius, head of the Economic and Budgetary Affairs Department, and, as representatives of the staff, María Tatiana Delgado Plasencia, from the Personnel Board, and Samuel Coello Armas, representing the labour staff, are participating.