Level within governmental hierarchy of national Machineries for the Advancement of Women
The hierarchical level of the National Mechanisms for the Advancement of Women is a qualitative indicator that describes the status formally granted to these mechanisms through laws, decrees, and other official measures. The classification levels for Latin America are as follows: high level for mechanisms with institutional status as a ministry or where the head holds the rank of Minister with full participation in the Cabinet. Medium level for mechanisms that report to the presidency but whose heads do not participate in the Cabinet, such as offices attached to the presidency, secretariats, national institutes, and other entities. Low level for mechanisms that report to a ministry or a lower-ranking authority, such as vice ministries, institutes, councils, and similar entities. For the Caribbean region, the classification is similar. High level applies when the head of the mechanism holds the rank of Minister. Medium level applies when the mechanism reports to or is accountable to a Prime Minister. Low level applies when it reports to or is accountable to another sectoral ministry. The Gender Equality Observatory for Latin America and the Caribbean compiles this indicator annually based on information provided by National Mechanisms for the Advancement of Women or, where unavailable, official information published online.
Analysis
The National Mechanisms for the Advancement of Women (MAM) are the entities responsible for leading and coordinating gender equality policies in the states of Latin America and the Caribbean. In the region, MAMs were established between the 1980s and early 1990s as organizations with varying levels of institutionalization. To date, their level of development and hierarchy within the state bureaucracy remain highly diverse. This indicator provides a relatively simple approximation of the formal importance that gender equality has achieved in each country. However, it should be complemented by more detailed studies on gender institutional frameworks, their technical and budgetary resources, and especially their influence on agenda-setting, public policy design, and government performance in reducing gender inequality in all areas.
Gender Equality Observatory
