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 equalityâÂÂwith special attention to gender equalityâ 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, MarÃÂa Guijarro has served as secretary of state for equality.
The Government's equality policies got a greater leadership during the governments of PM José Luis RodrÃÂguez 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.
From the Secretary of State depends the following officials:
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.