The Municipality of Peñalolén is the first municipal government in the world to obtain the highest distinction of the UNDP Gender Equality Seal in Public Institutions, achieving the Gold level. In addition, it is the first public body in Chile to complete the Seal process and achieve recognition. This enormous result places Peñalolén as a global champion in the integration of gender equality in the local, national and international spheres.
The award ceremony was led by the Mayor of Peñalolén, Carolina Leitao, and attended by Georgiana Braga-Orillard, Resident Representative of UNDP Chile, who presented the recognition in an auditorium attended by a large number of officials, representatives of social organizations and the UNDP Chile team.
Receiving this recognition represents the commitment and great effort of different municipal departments and units to develop concrete actions within the municipality and develop initiatives that promote gender equality in the commune.
Carolina Leitao, Mayor of Peñalolén.
The leadership of senior officials, particularly Mayor Carolina Leitao, and the commitment of the municipal team, have been key in developing and strengthening municipal services focused on closing inequality gaps, for example by improving services for addressing gender violence, increasing prevention and expanding support services for victims; promoting women’s economic autonomy, including in highly masculinized areas such as technology; and raising social awareness in favor of inclusion, equality and respect for diversity. The creation of an Executive Secretariat for Gender within the municipal structure has consolidated the institutionalization of the gender perspective while strengthening territorial alliances.
Also highlighted are the institutional changes and reforms regarding the institution’s work environment, relating to the approval of the Protocol for the Reconciliation of Work, Family and Personal Life with a Focus on Co-responsibility, the implementation of the Protocol for the Prevention, Investigation and Punishment of Sexual Harassment, Workplace Harassment, Discrimination and Violence at Work (VALS), awareness-raising for the prevention of these behaviors both inside and outside the workplace, and the achievement of gender parity throughout the municipal structure.
The Municipality of Peñalolén has a long history that has been demonstrated in concrete actions and processes, such as programs for the prevention of violence against women or the promotion of care programs, when this was not yet an issue of interest in the country.
Georgiana Braga- Orillard , UNDP Resident Representative in Chile
At this time of celebration, the municipality is preparing to sustain the progress achieved and expand it, particularly with regard to the implementation of the various regulations and procedures approved and put in place in the context of the implementation of the Seal, so that the integration of the gender perspective becomes more and more a ‘daily and operational routine’ of the Municipality, particularly in the context of the electoral process that will take place in the coming months.
As a community of the Gender Equality Seal in Public Institutions, we warmly welcome the Municipality of Peñalolén as a leading institution in the advancement of gender equality at the global level and we hope to continue supporting it in its continued progress.
