Different Mandates, One Commitment: Advancing Gender Equality across Dominican Republic Institutions

Public institutions play a central role in shaping how people experience rights, access services and participate in society. In the Dominican Republic, a growing number of institutions are demonstrating that embedding gender equality into public administration is not only possible, but essential for building more inclusive, effective and trusted governance.

This commitment was at the center of the Gender Equality Seal for Public Institutions award ceremony held on 19 May 2026 in Santo Domingo, where the Ministry of Women and the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) recognized the progress achieved by the Defensor del Pueblo and the Superintendencia de Electricidad – SIE. The event reaffirmed the role of the Seal — implemented nationally as “Sello Igualando RD” and co-led by the Ministry of Women and UNDP — as a practical framework for institutional transformation across the public sector.

During the ceremony, Minister of Women Gloria Reyes highlighted the broader significance of the initiative: “This recognition is not an arrival point. It is a renewed responsibility to continue deepening the changes achieved, because the objective of this initiative is to build a State that responds better, represents better and guarantees rights under equal conditions for women and men.”

As Ana Landa, Global Coordinator of the Gender Equality Seal for Public Institutions, noted: “What we want with the Seal is to continue accompanying this journey, helping institutions to critically reflect, transform practices and build sustainable solutions over time.”

Institutional transformation across different sectors

The ceremony recognized the Defensor del Pueblo with the Gold Seal and the Superintendencia de Electricidad with the Silver Seal, reflecting different levels of compliance with the programme’s institutional standards and benchmarks. Together, the two institutions demonstrated that gender equality is relevant across all areas of public administration — from human rights protection to energy regulation.

For the Defensor del Pueblo, the process strengthened its role as a guarantor of human rights while integrating gender equality more systematically into its institutional planning, workplace policies and citizen engagement. The institution strengthened its Gender Equality Unit, adopted protocols to prevent discrimination and workplace violence, and promoted initiatives supporting women’s leadership and rights awareness across different territories of the country.

Meanwhile, the Superintendencia de Electricidad demonstrated how gender equality can advance in technical and traditionally male-dominated sectors. Through the Seal process, the institution integrated gender equality into its strategic planning, strengthened staff capacities, and promoted initiatives aimed at increasing women’s participation in the energy sector, including partnerships supporting women in STEM fields.

Guillermina Martín, Regional Gender Team Leader for UNDP Latin America and the Caribbean, emphasized the broader significance of the process: “Today we celebrate not only a recognition, but a profound process of institutional transformation — one that involved reviewing practices, questioning existing gaps and reaffirming institutions’ commitment to gender equality.”

The discussions throughout the event reinforced a shared message: institutional change happens when gender equality becomes part of how institutions plan, govern, deliver services and engage with citizens.

Building Momentum for Institutional Change

The event also marked the launch of the third cohort of Dominican public institutions joining the Seal process: the National Institute for Student Welfare (INABIE), the National Institute for Teacher Training and Capacity Building (INAFOCAM), the Ministry of Industry, Commerce and MSMEs (MICM), and PROMIPYME.

During the ceremony, Ana María Díaz, UNDP Resident Representative in the Dominican Republic, stressed that “the strengthening of institutions with a gender perspective is key to advancing towards more sustainable and inclusive human development.”

The Dominican Republic’s experience continues to demonstrate how the Gender Equality Seal for Public Institutions can serve as a practical and measurable tool for public sector reform. By embedding gender equality into institutional systems and practices, the Seal helps public institutions move from commitment to implementation — generating more inclusive governance and better outcomes for citizens.

As institutions continue this journey, the message from the event was clear: gender equality is not a final destination, but an ongoing process of institutional transformation that strengthens democracy, public trust and sustainable development for all.