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1. Governance

2. Cross-sectorial cooperation

Governance

Government Structure in the area of Health, Social Services and Equality in Spain

Main actors: 

The Ministry of Social Rights and 2030 Agenda (Ministerio de Derechos Sociales y Agenda 2030 ) is in charge of the proposal and implementation of the Government's policy on health, planning and health care, and consumption, as well as in exercising the powers of the State General Administration to assure the citizens the Right to health protection. It also has the proposal and implementation of government policy on cohesion and social inclusion, family, protection of children and attention to dependent or disabled persons and equality, as well as the fight against all kinds of discrimination and the fight against gender-based violence.

As part of the MSCBS, the Secretary of State for Social Rights (Secretaria de Estado de Derechos Sociales) is the superior body which is responsible for carrying out functions in the areas of social cohesion and inclusion, family, child protection and care for dependents or disabled people, as well as the protection of the youth.

Within Social Services and Equality is the General Management of Services for Family and Children (Dirección General de Servicios para la Familia y la Infancia), and its main functions are:

• The promotion, analysis, elaboration, coordination and follow-up of the programs of action in the field of social services of primary care, of social inclusion, of protection and promotion of families and childhood, and of prevention of the difficult situations or social conflict.
• Promoting cooperation with non-governmental organizations in the fields of social action programmes, social inclusion, gypsy population, families and children.
• The promotion and development of social volunteering; among others.

Within Social Services and Equality are also the Youth Institute (INJUVE) and the Spanish Youth Council (CJE).

General distribution of responsabilities:

For its part, it is the Autonomous Regions (Comunidades Autónomas) that are responsible for legislative development and implementation in areas of health and hygiene, promotion, prevention and restoration of health; and hospital coordination in general, including Social Security.

Structure of government in the field of sport and physical activity in Spain:

Main actors:

The Ministry of Culture and Sports (Ministerio de Cultura y Deporte) is in charge of proposal and execution of the Government's policy on sports matters.

The High Council of Sports (Consejo Superior de Deportes (CSD)) is the regulatory body of sport at the state level, dependent of the MECD. As an autonomous body it has the functions of the General Administration of the state in sports matters.

General distribution of responsabilities:

In relation to the organization of physical activity and school sports, at the state level the CSD has a coordinating role, focused on the "programming, technical direction and execution of the games and competitions of national or international nature", While it is the responsibility of the Autonomous Communities to "organize school competitions of a territorial, regional or local nature; to promote the creation of groups for the development of school sport and to manage the granting of aid to create and maintain teams and for sports activities in schools". In turn, the Autonomous Communities are in charge of coordinating with the local Administrations (municipalities, regions, etc.) in the promotion and diffusion of the physical culture and sport. The local Administrations are actively involved in the programming of the education, in the monitoring of the fulfillment of the compulsory schooling and in the coordination of the sports facilities.

Each Autonomous Region has its own territorial body for the management and promotion of sport.

Cross-sectorial cooperation

In the field of health, education and physical activity, the Spanish Government develops different plans and strategies through inter-ministerial collaboration. There are numerous cooperations, among them:

• Collaboration between Ministry of Health, Consumption and Social Welfare and the Ministry of Education and Sports in the Strategy for the Promotion of Health and Prevention in the National Health System (Estrategia de Promoción de la Salud y Prevención (EPSP) en el Sistema Nacional de Salud).
• Collaboration in the Comprehensive Plan for Physical exercise and Sport between the CSD and the Ministries, Autonomous Regions, local authorities and universities, as well as the participation of the private sector (further explanations in chapter 7.3).
• Agreement of the CSD, the Young Sport Foundation and the Food Foundation for the promotion of healthy lifestyles based on the promotion of physical activity and sport, and an adequate diet (promoción de estilos de vida saludables basados en el fomento de la actividad física y el deporte, y una adecuada alimentación).