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EACEA National Policies Platform
Spain

Spain

4. Social Inclusion

4.2 Administration and governance

Last update: 28 November 2023
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  1. Governance
  2. Cross-sectorial cooperation

Governance

There is no legislation or regulation at state level for social inclusion in Spain, let alone for the social inclusion of youth. There are rights, disseminated in different regulations, related to ensuring inclusion in Spanish society and the exercise of full citizenship. An example of this is the Spanish Constitution (Constitución Española), where the right to decent employment and housing is guaranteed (Article 35 and 47), as is universal access to the health system (Article 43).

Main actors:

The highest authorities responsible for developing inclusive policies for young people are the Ministry of Social Rights and 2030 Agenda (Ministerio de Derechos Sociales y Agenda 2030) and the Inter-Ministerial Youth Commission, which promote their activities in close collaboration with the Youth Institute.

The allocation of the inclusion portfolio to the ministry mentioned above is regulated through The Royal Decree 139/2020 of 28 January establishing the basic organisational structure of ministerial departments.

General distribution of responsibilities:

As regards the Youth Strategy 2022-30 (Estrategia Juventud 2022-30) and the 2019-2023 National Strategy for the prevention and fight against poverty and social exclusion (Estrategia Nacional de prevención y lucha contra la pobreza 2019-2023), the agencies responsible for its approval were the Inter-Ministerial Youth Commission and the Council of Ministers, respectively.

NGOs participate through the State Council of Social Action for Non-Governmental Organizations (Consejo Estatal de Organizaciones no Gubernamentales de Acción Social), defined as a consultative body and a meeting point for dialogue and participation of associative movements in the elaboration of social policies. It is regulated by the Royal Decree 235/2005 and its present composition was established by the Resolution of November 18, 2011, (the organizations that comprise it can be found in Annex I of the document).

Among other matters, this council produces documents such as the Third Sector of Social Action Proposals for a Strategy of Social Inclusion in Spain towards 2020 (Propuestas del Tercer Sector de Acción Social para una Estrategia de Inclusión Social 2020 en España).

 

Cross-sectorial cooperation

Governance in the field of inclusion arises from an inter-governmental perspective. The Social Inclusion Network 2017-2020 (Red de Inclusión Social 2017-2020, RIS) tacklesthe former need for effective coordination between the institutional actors involved and the correct distribution and distribution of competencies among the different organs and levels of the State Administration: Ministries, Autonomous Regions Administration and Local Administration as well as from the involvement of the third sector of social action.

The Social Inclusion Network, financed and promoted by the European Social Fund, provides a space for dialogue and information exchange between actors involved in social inclusion, coordinated by the Ministry of Social Rights and 2030 Agenda. It is composed by representatives of public administrations of all levels involved in social inclusion policies, from European to local levels, as well as NGOs that participate in the implementation of these policies and the most representative labour unions.

Its main objective is the establishment of means of cooperation and information exchange between the public administrations and social inclusion entities. However, in its 2017-2020 Working Plan, other complementary objectives are set, such as increasing its role and impact in implementing change within the members, becoming a benchmark in analysing poverty and social inclusion and promoting studies around these matters, and extending active participation of regional bodies in inclusive affairs.

There is also a growing interest in incorporating private sector entities and increasing public-private collaboration, giving importance and relevance to the role of companies through Corporate Social Responsibility actions.

In addition, they will carry out an evaluation of the impact of the RIS in the period 2017-2023 and will make a proposal with new objectives and activities for the period 2024-2030