The secretary of state for equality, officially secretary of state for equality and eradication of violence against women, is a senior minister of the Spanish Department of Equality responsible for assisting the Minister of Equality in all matters relating to social equality—with special attention to gender equality— and prevention and elimination of all types of discrimination.
The secretary of state, who is appointed by the monarch on the advice of the minister of equaliy, also implements the government policies to eliminate violence against women and against LGBTQ people.
Since 4 June 2025, María Guijarro has served as secretary of state for equality.
History The Government's equality policies got a greater leadership during the governments of PM José Luis Rodríguez Zapatero. At the very first, the equality department was within the Ministry of Labour and Social Affairs with the level of a General Secretariat between 2004 and 2008.
In 2008, after Zapatero's reelection, he elevated this department to a ministerial level, creating the Ministry of Equality until 2010 when the Ministry merged with the Ministry of Health and the Secretariat of State of Equality was properly created.
During the governments of PM Mariano Rajoy, the Secretariat merged with the Secretariat of State of Social Services creating the Secretariat of State of Social Services and Equality between very late 2011 and middle 2018.
In 2018, with the arrival of PM Pedro Sánchez the Secretariat of State recovered its full autonomy and importance when it was integrated in the Ministry of the Presidency, with the direct supervision of the Deputy Prime Minister.
In January 2020, the Ministry of Equality was re-established and the Secretariat of State was integrated into it. Since then, it is structured through three directorates-general: the Government Delegation for Gender Violence, a directorate-general for equality and another for LGBT people.
Structure From the Secretary of State depends the following officials: +Secretariat of State Organization (2026)Secretary of StateCabinetInstitute of WomenGovernment Delegation againstGender ViolenceDeputy Directorate-General for Inter-institutional Coordination on Violence against WomenDeputy Directorate-General for Awareness, Prevention and Studies of Violence against WomenRegional Coordination Units for Violence against WomenProvincial Unites for Violence against WomenState Observatory of Violence against WomenDirectorate-General for Equal Treatment and Non-Discrimination and against RacismDeputy Directorate-General for Equal Treatment and Non-Discrimination and against RacismDirectorate-General for Real and Effective Equality of LGBT+ PeopleDeputy Directorate-General for LGBTI Rights
List of secretaries of state Before this office was created, all its duties were carried out by the Secretary-General for Equality first and by the Minister of Equality later. No. Image Name Term of office Ministers serving under: Prime Minister appointed by: Began Ended Days of service1stBibiana Aído23 October 201023 July 2011Leire PajínJosé Luis Rodriguez Zapatero2ndLaura Seara Sobrado23 July 201131 December 20113rdJuan Manuel Moreno Bonilla31 December 20118 March 2014Ana MatoMariano Rajoy4thSusana Camarero8 March 201419 November 20165thMario Garcés19 November 20168 June 2018Dolors Montserrat6thSoledad Murillo de la Vega8 June 201815 January 2020Carmen MontónMaría Luisa CarcedoPedro Sánchez7thNoelia Vera Ruiz-Herrera15 January 202012 October 2021Irene Montero8thÁngela Rodríguez Martínez12 October 20215 December 20239thAina Calvo5 December 20234 June 2025Ana Redondo García10thMaría Guijarro4 June 2025Incumbent References