TRAILBLAZERS TO TRENDSETTERS The Olive Press celebrates International Women’s Day by highlighting some of the most influential characters, both past and present, and how Spain stacks up on gender equality in our special pullout inside
A special four-page pullout February 2024
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Not far enough OPINION by Yzabelle
WHAT’S THE SCORE?
Spain ranks fourth
F
in the EU Gender
Equality Index and
Yzabelle Bostyn explains
why…
Bostyn
A STUDY released logical Research by the Spanish Sociolines after statingInstitute hit the headbelieve ‘women’s 44% of Spanish men far that it is now equality has gone so discriminating against men’. While 32% of women agreed, the majority, 67%, believe inequality remains ‘very’ or ‘quite’ In comparison, large. just 48% of men with this statement. agreed But why do Spanish men feel disenfranchised? Digging deeper that they think into the data, we can see at least, equal women have better, or every aspect of opportunities in almost life; from promotions work to educational at access. However, when en, they reportedthe survey asked womportunities were that they felt their op‘worse’. For instance, just 27% of men said en’s access to wompositions of political sponsibility were recompared to 47% ‘worse’ than men’s, of women. Responses like this follow recent vances in women’s adIn 2005, then primerights in the country. minister Jose Zapatero, introduced most advanced some of the world’s gender equality The move came laws. after an Andalucian woman, Ana Orates was burnt alive her own home by in an abusive ex partner who she had spoken out against on television.
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HEALT
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EMALE equality in Spain had a big in 2023. year activities, the gender In December, Spanish Some 39% of Spanish imbalance flips. politicians Meanwhile, 70% men say they frequentproved an ‘Equal of Spain’s childcare Representation’ ap- ly take part in such activities, absences were granted designed to encourage work compared to that gender parity in Law just 33% of women. tics and business. they often sacrifice to women, showing politime at work to care for their families. It followed a landmark This category has try’s menstrual leave victory for the counalso contributed to Spain’s One in Europe to grant law, which was the first fourth place position, of the leave for women in- best, this areas where Spain performs the painful periods. creasing by 1.7 with points at women’scategory looks Despite all these since the 2020 index. health, life expectancy, rounding women’slaws, controversy surThe knowledge categohabits and access to sweep the country. rights continues to ry surveys not only serWhile some 67% ed- vices. women believe ucational achievement of discrimination remains While some 74% ‘quite large’ in the but the segregation of country, over Spanish men perSpanish men say Since then, subsequent of men and women equality has ‘gone44% of by ceive their governments So, how does Spain too far’. have also made subject studied. health to be ‘good’ or ‘very pared to other EU really perform when comIn Spain, women Most recently, strides towards equality. countries? The Olive Pedro Sanchez’s out- good’, compared investigates. number men in wing coalition introduced Press left to educa69% of women, a new ‘Equalitional attainment, With 76.4 points ty Law’ designed male life with 34% expectancy having degrees fourth in the EU’s out of 100, Spain ranks alent to positions of to create equal access is or their equiveconomic and and 23% currently years lower than some eight 6.2 points above Gender Equality Index. power. political in vocational trainwomen’s, at 80 years. ing. The figures Despite this, both for men are 32% has moved up twothe EU average, the country respectively. This, alongside places in the ranking and 21% years genders’ ‘healthy 2020. ing equality for other laws promotare equal, with men since Women life’ LGBTQ+ people, also outnumber and women enjoying 63 years of good The index is calculated sparked controversy men in the fields have education, health health. of Perhaps of different indicators based on a number and and and ruffled feathers across the country arts, representing welfare, humanities although this balance is due to the fact including time, knowlamongst the right edge, work, money, wing. almost half of univerthat women sity students. they have less timestick to healthier habits, Each of these is power and health. Many men are Although men represent to spend exercising - wrongly - seeing pared to men. using a variety of given a score worked out in laws as advantages comjust 25% these not offered to them. takes into accountdata, for instance, power ly this area, other studies indicateof students Some 79% avoid In fact, the so-called tobacco they great- sumption outnumber women the amount of ‘discrimination’ board members many Spanish men female counting in STEM compared to 69% and alcohol confor 65% of university subjects, ac- But only 38% of men. Although overall in high ranking companies. better described claim to be facing is students. of women the country take part in daily performs well in physical activity the GEI, it is still threatened by as the feeling of being Although Spain’s underperforming the slow eradication vegetables, 11% and eat sufficient fruits and areas and is important score may seem in various their privilege as of fewer than their high, the terparts. country has actually male counso where are Spanish to be aware of these, Women are not men. dropped five women thriving where are they struggling? places in the EU solutions for thegetting ‘more rights’ but and work ing, now standing rank- This domain looks at modern society. sexism that persists in women’s decision in 17th The improvement This becomes evident position. making power in political, of the country’s when we consider that almost 20% time This category looks score (+6.4) has social and economic been think inequality fewer men than women equal access to at of the main driversone still exists in the spheres. It seems that while country. ployment and emof Spain’s climb good Spain’s to fourth political are making it seemlaws and legislation working conditions place. equality has greatas women have more rights than men, well as the quantity This category ly advanced in for women is very the lived experience of women in full-time reers the amount considdifferent. cent years - women It is clear that work and the length Spanish women women spend of time account for 48% of their careers. perience high levels still excare, domestic doing of ministers, 42% of sexism in their Some daily lives. and social activities work employed in full time 14% fewer women are members of In my personal work com- standing ment and 46% of parliapared to men. experience, I am at 41% and 55% compared to men, regional warned not to walk respectively. still assemblies. On the career prospects Although Spain In the economic has im- indicator have been verballyhome alone at night, index, an EU wide proved sphere, 37% of directors of job quality, prosperity abused on Spain’s largest companies carry the burden in this area, women still rity, apps and been in and secu- Meanwhile, of care activities Spanish women catcalled while dating are women. mestic labour. own balcony. and do- men’s score 56 compared on my 57. to tral bank areboard members of Spain’s cenSome 41% of women Until women can split All of these statistics, care for family memHowever, in the 50/50. bers, elderly people is no doubt that live without fear, there world of sports and dicate that women’s though improved, in- story compared to 33% or those with disabilities, expectations Unfortunately, inequality still exists. TV, the couldn’t careers are to care for children. affected by Men representbe more different. Meanwhile, 64% of men. that remains init is unlikely the sexism 73% of decision A recent study of women do cooking Spanish society the country’s Olympic household cleaning makers in eradicated by laws. will be or Institute (INE) by Spain’s National Statistics sports organisations showed some 24% and more than their male everyday, some 20% aged A much deeper of women In the60% in publicly owned broadcasters. 24-49 with children counterparts. When it comes to required to makesocial intervention is domestic realm, resort to part-time work in social, leisure and women are still meaningful change, ing the effects of which will not create cultural parison order to care for their children in gender stereotypes, suffercom- oblige them to 4.7% of men. survey has uncovered.the backlash this which to sacrifice their free time and careers for their families.
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70.04 /100
75.4 /100
81.1 /100
XXX
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91.2 /100
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Expats’ retirement dream ruined by shock €11,200 tax bill dating back three decades
A BRITISH couple’s retirement dreams have been shattered after their lawyers failed to pick up an ‘outstanding’ property tax that only emerged 26 years later. John Stephenson, 75, and wife Kathy, 78, are stunned that the ‘unfair’ €11,200 levy was applied last year. The ‘theft’ by the Hacienda tax authorities has nothing to do with them, they insist. It should have actually been paid by the previous owners of the three-bedroom property in 1996 SEVENTEEN years before they bought it. But this didn’t stop the taxman deducting it from the €375,000 they received from the sale of the Costa del Sol home in May. The former estate agents - who closed their Marbella firm due to Covid in 2022 - had decided to downsize from San Pedro to Tarragona (Catalunya). T h e y calculated the sale, plus other investments,
By Walter Finch
would take care of them through retirement. However, the outstanding IBI (rates) bill from 1996 has left them ‘financially short’. They had bought the property in 2013 and hired a legal firm to do the conveyancing. “Our lawyers obviously didn’t do a proper job as they assured us there was no debt on the house, we made sure of that,” John told the Olive Press. “The money was meant to pay off our car loan and other debts. Instead, we are struggling to pay them - at an age when we should be enjoying our retirement. “When our lawyer gave us the news, I said there must be some mistake. In fact I was devastated by it.” His lawyer, Alvaro Moreno, of Armo Legal Services, admitted the case w a s
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ANGRY: John feels betrayed by his lawyers
DREAM TURNED TO NIGHTMARE: Massive tax paid on sale of their home has left John and Kathy Stephenson out of pocket
‘quite strange’. “Normally these things come to light when you’re going through with the purchase, but there was no mention of the debt on the title deed,” he told the Olive Press this week. The problem, he admitted, was that the outstanding debt was only being posted on the official public buletin for Andalucia ‘at least once every four years’, meaning it stayed valid. It is normally the responsibility of the lawyer handling the sale - in this case Moreno’s former partner, Rafael Arevalo. But, it turns out Arevalo was not acting as John’s legal representative in the purchase. While an email chain seen by the Olive Press shows Arevalo acting as ‘Mr Stephenson’s Lawyer’, he oddly only signed the title deeds to the property as ‘a witness’. It was something John failed to pick up on at the time due to not knowing the Spanish word for ‘witness.’ And as a witness, it means Arevalo was ‘not liable’ for failing See page 5 to find the outstanding charge. “If I’d wanted a witness, I could’ve got anyone off the street to do it,” in-
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sisted John. The Olive Press has been unable to get in contact with Arevalo to clarify the situation and the ex partners at Armo Legal are ‘no longer on speaking terms’. “This is totally unacceptable,” insisted well known property lawyer Antonio Flores, who runs Lawbird, in Marbella. He insisted it is completely up to Arevalo and Moreno to prove they correctly did the due diligence in 2013 - and not the other way round. “The lawyers have to prove they did everything right,” he said. “They have to show that they looked in all the right places. “They should’ve fought harder against this mystery tax bill. John and Kathy shouldn’t give up.” Opinion Page 6