Equal Opportunities, Anti-discrimination and Social Assistance Benefits (EOADSAB) Department is part of Policy on Disability, Equal Opportunities and Social Assistance Benefits Directorate of the Ministry of Labour and Social Policy (MLSP) and, among its other responsibilities, develops and coordinates the implementation of the state policy in the field of equal opportunities and participates in the preparation of methodologies and methods for monitoring and research of gender equality and gender gaps. It also analyses and assesses the compliance of the national legislation of the Republic of Bulgaria with the EU legislation in the field of equal opportunities, drafts normative acts and designs the budget of the Ministry in the field.

The department acts as the Secretariat of the National Council on Equality between Women and Men at the Council of Ministers.

EOADSAB Department is responsible for organizing and coordinating, participates in the development, and analyses the implementation of the annual National Action Plans for encouraging the equality between women and men. It participates in commissions, working groups and in programs in the field of gender equality and non-discrimination at the European and at the national level. The Department is in regular contact with other government bodies, the Commission for Protection against Discrimination, the National Statistical Institute, the National Social Security Institute, the Ombudsman, the Bulgarian Academy of Sciences, as well as with other research institutions and NGOs operating in the field.

EOADSAB Department works in close cooperation with employees of different government institutions designated as “Coordinators for equality between women and men” pursuant to Art. 6 (1), item 3 of the Rules on the structure and organisation of work of the National Council on Equality between Women and Men at the Council of Ministers approved with DCM No. 108 / 10.05.2014.