How can civil society mobilization influence gender equality policy?
New study by Manuel Alvariño shows how feminist advocates persuaded women in parliament to drive a major family policy reform in Spain
In a new article published in the Journal of Public Policy, Manuel Alvariño examines how a feminist advocacy platform influenced the equalization and non-transferability of maternity and paternity leave in Spain in 2019. Challenging the view that civil advocacy succeeds mainly through outsider strategies such as protest and public pressure, the study shows how the platform built long-term insider alliances with female politicians across party lines. Drawing on parliamentary documents and interviews spanning nearly two decades, the article also shows that women’s descriptive representation matters, as it opens channels of influence for extra-parliamentary feminist actors. Link to article