The level within governmental hierarchy of national Machineries for the Advancement of Women constitutes a qualitative indicator that describes the status countries formally give to its machineries through laws, decrees and other official measures. The levels of classification for Latin America are: high level for the machineries with institutional status of Ministry or entity whose head has ministerial rank. The intermediate level is made up of entities attached to the Office of the President or mechanism whose head is directly responsible to the President (offices attached to the presidency, secretariats, national institutes and other entities). At the low level are those entities attached to a ministry (viceministries, under-secretariats, institutes, councils and other entities). At the Caribbean the classification is similar and expressed as: high level if the head of the machinery is a Minister; intermediate level if the entity is attached to or directly responsible to the Prime Minister; and low level if the machinery come under ministries or lower-ranking authorities such as vice-ministries.