Who are we

   The Equal Opportunities Department (EOD) is a part of the Demographic Policy, Social Investments and Equal Opportunities Directorate at the Ministry of Labour and Social Policy (MLSP), which, among its other responsibilities, develops and coordinates the implementation of the state policy in the field of demographic development, social investment and equal opportunities and participates in the preparation of methodologies and methods for monitoring and research of the demographic processes and equality.

    It also analyses and assesses the compliance of the national legislation with the acquis communautaire in the field of equal opportunities, drafts normative acts and develops the programming budget of the Ministry in the field. It is also obliged to develop and maintain relevant comparable database of analyses, prognoses, strategies and policies. Through the EOD, which acts as the Secretariat of the National Council on Equality between Women and Men, the Directorate organizes, coordinates, participates in the development and analyses the implementation of the National Plan for encouraging the equality between women and men. It also participates in the work of the regional councils for development, different commissions, working groups as well as different programs and memorandums for cooperation. In order to implement its duties, the Directorycommunicates with other state bodies, with the Commission for Protection against Discrimination, the National Statistical Institute, the Bulgarian Academy of Sciences as well as other research institutions and organizations working in the field. The Directorate, and EOD in particular, implement the mandate given to the MLSP as part of the national gender equality machinery at the central executive level, as it is defined by the Platform for Action of the Fourth World Conference on Women (Beijing, 1995).

   Gender focal points

   The EOD works closely with representatives from each governmental body called gender focal points (GFP). Their functions include introducing a gender perspective into the main policy area of a ministry or an agency, promoting equal opportunities in the personnel policy of the ministry or agency itself and preparing action plans with concrete targets, resources, timetables and a monitoring system.