How equality protection differs by region and city

Key rules

• Where you live: The laws and offices available to you depend on your autonomous community and, in large cities, on your city.
• Start local: Start with your regional government's website, then your city council's.
• Smaller towns: If your town has no office of its own, the regional body is usually the place to go.

Office names, laws and the national authority's status can change, so confirm them on your regional or city website before relying on them.

Your region and city may add more protection

National protection against discrimination applies everywhere in Spain. On top of it, many autonomous communities (regions) and large cities have their own laws and offices. What exists, and what it is called, depends on where you live.

What regions offer

Several regions have their own equality or anti-discrimination rules. Examples include Catalonia, Navarre, the Basque Country, Galicia, Andalucía, Valencia, Aragón, the Balearic Islands and Madrid. Most of these rules come through LGTBI and gender equality laws, and through regional offices or ombudsmen.

Catalonia goes furthest. It has a law on equal treatment and its own body, the Autoritat Catalana per a la Igualtat de Tracte.

Most regions also have an equality institute. These usually run gender and LGTBI services.

What big cities offer

Large cities often run their own services. Barcelona has the Oficina per la No Discriminació, which gives advice, mediation and support to victims. Madrid has municipal equality services and an assistance service for hate crime and discrimination. Valencia and other large cities run similar services or work with NGOs.

These offices typically give information and legal guidance, register your case, and refer it to courts or prosecutors. Smaller towns usually rely on the regional bodies instead.

How to find yours

Do it in this order:

1. Go to your regional government's website and search for its equality institute or equal-treatment office.
2. Check your city council's website, under equality or social services.
3. Look up your region's law in the BOE (the national official gazette) or in your regional gazette.
4. Look at the resources from the Ministry of Equality and the national council against racial or ethnic discrimination. A national Independent Authority for Equal Treatment was created by law, so ask the Ministry of Equality whether it is working yet.

The checklist below gives the same steps. When you reach an office, ask what it can do for you: advice, mediation, legal guidance or referral.

Checklist

• Check your city council's website, in the equality or social services area, for a local anti-discrimination service.

• Look up your region's equality or anti-discrimination law in the BOE or your regional official gazette.

• Ask the office what it offers, such as advice, mediation, legal guidance or referral to courts or prosecutors.

• Check the Ministry of Equality's published resources and whether the national equal treatment authority is working yet.

Frequently asked questions

What can a city anti-discrimination office do for me?

A city office can give you information and legal guidance, register your case and refer it to courts or prosecutors. Barcelona and Madrid run services like this, and Valencia and other large cities have similar ones or work with NGOs.

Is there a national body for equal treatment if my region has none?

Yes, a national Independent Authority for Equal Treatment was created by law, and the Ministry of Equality publishes resources too. Ask the Ministry of Equality whether the authority is already working before you rely on it.