The General Directorate of the Civil Guard has taken another step in its commitment to equality between men and women within the force. The organization has already started the steps to create a “adequate space” for breastfeeding at its headquarters in Madrid. The measure comes after several years of claims by the United Association of the Civil Guard (AUGC).
As progressed from EFE Agency, The plans were announced by the government in a written response to Comprom senator Carles Mulletin which they report that 298 women currently serve in this headquarters.
Mulet’s claim against La Moncloa was about this pre-existing demand from the AUGC, which called for the implementation of new measures aimed at improving the work-family balance of female workers in the bodyas “many agents encounter obstacles and coercion in exercising their right to breastfeed”.
[El TSJ restituye a un guardia civil el permiso de lactancia que le negó Comandancia]
However, the government itself reported that there was a common ground 10 reports of pregnancy from women stationed at headquarters of the Civil Guard since March, but none of them are due to a risky situation due to breastfeeding.
This body modernization seems more than necessary today. According to data collected in the second National Nutrition and Health Survey, 10% of breastfeedings are paralyzed by mothers’ return to work.
Other steps to equality
As we have already reported from MagasIN, the arrival of María Gamez in the leadership of the Civil Guard in January 2020, with the decision of Minister Fernando Grande-Marlasca, meant a change in the body and not only in management, but also in its image.
It is the DS institution with fewer women, both at the base and at the top. Only 8% of all those in uniform are womenabout 6,000 agents compared to 76,000 men.
One of the solutions implemented by Gámez since then to balance the presence of both sexes is saves 30% of internal call slots for the Valdemoro Young Guard College for Women.
But the problem extends to the highest realms. Today, the Civil Guard has only three female lieutenant colonels in more than 230 positions what is on this level. And this is the highest step that the Civil Guard has reached in Spain.
The platforms of the women civil guards are demanding that no one raises their hand from the quotas, as the body already has a reserve of 40% of the seats every year for the military. “No one should be shocked if we talk about quotas for women.