- Decoration awarded by the Ministry of Equality, in recognition of the people who contributed to the approval of Organic Law 1/2004, of December 28, on Comprehensive Protection Measures against Gender Violence (LOIVG)
- The Minister of Equality, Ana Redondo and the delegate of the Government of Spain in the Community of Madrid, Francisco Martín Aguirre, have presided over the event held at the headquarters of the Government Delegation.
- Attendees have observed an emotional minute of silence in memory of José Enrique Serrano Martínez, who died yesterday Tuesday at the age of 75.
The Minister of Equality, Ana Redondo, and the delegate of the Government of Spain in the Community of Madrid, Francisco Martín, today presented the ‘Medals to the Promotion of the Values of Equality’, awarded by the Ministry of Equality to recognize the people who contributed to the approval of Organic Law 1/2004, of December 28, on Measures of Integral Protection against Gender Violence (LOIVG), coinciding with the 20th anniversary of this regulation.
In total, the decorated ones have been nine: Carmen Roney Albareda, Montserrat Muñoz de Diego, Jaime Moreno Verdéjà, Elvira Cortajarena Iturrioz and, posthumously, Gregorio Pez Barba, collected by his son. Luis Mardones Sevilla and Fernando Valdés Dal-Ré and José Enrique Serrano, head of the Cabinet of the Presidency of the Government between 1995 and 1996 and between 2004 and 2011, have also been granted posthumously. Complete the list of medals, Fernando Puig de la Bellacasa and Aguirre.
The presentation brought together at the headquarters of the Government Delegation in Madrid award-winners and relatives, political personalities, representatives of the State security forces and bodies and civil society. Yesterday, Tuesday, June 10, José Enrique Serrano Martínez died in Madrid at the age of 75. In this way, the delivery has been preceded by an emotional minute of silence in his memory. Then, another six decorations have been delivered individually.
The government delegate has highlighted the trajectory of these men and women who have contributed “with their commitment, work and example to build this better country” that he hopes to pass on to future generations. “This act is a public affirmation of our principles, what we are and what we want to remain as a society: a freer, fairer and more egalitarian country,” he said.
Francisco Martín has also claimed this act as a commemoration of “one of the great milestones” of Spanish democracy, as was the approval of the Integral Law, 20 years ago, and has regretted that the consensus that made it possible then is unthinkable today because there are those who question the progress achieved and the male violence.
For her part, the Minister of Equality has closed the event expressing her gratitude to those decorated and highlighting the turning point in equality and rights that led to the approval of the Law, rejecting those who want to go back “to that dark world” before it.
Pioneering regulation
The ‘Medal for the Promotion of the Values of Equality’ is a decoration awarded individually by order of the Minister of Equality, on the proposal of the holder of the Secretary of State for Equality and for the Eradication of Violence against Women, in order to recognize the work of those people who have distinguished themselves in a relevant way in the exercise and promotion of the values of equality and in the elimination of all kinds of discrimination based on any personal or social condition.
This 2025, the Government of Spain has granted this distinction to 94 people, who contributed decisively to the legislative approval of the LOIVG. The norm, a pioneer in Europe, was approved unanimously during the government of José Luis Rodríguez Zapatero, on December 28, 2004.
Commitment to equality
Among the 94 decorations awarded by the Ministry of Equality, are the people who have received the Medal today in the Government Delegation:
- Carmen Roney Albareda: historical communist leader and advocate for women’s sexual and reproductive rights. Among other positions she has been a member of the Assembly of Madrid and president of the Council of Women of the Municipality of Madrid.
- José Enrique Serrano Martínez: Cabinet Director of the Presidency of the Government between 1995 and 1996 and between 2004 and 2011, during the approval of the LOVG. Among other positions, he has been a member of the Congress of Deputies.
- Montserrat Muñoz from Diego: lawyer. Member of the Congress of Deputies for the United Left between 2004 and 2008, during the approval of the LOVG. Among other positions she has been mayor of San Fernando de Henares between 1995 and 2007.
- Jaime Moreno Verdejo: fiscal de la Sala de lo Penal del Tribunal Supremo. Among other positions, he has been Prosecutor of the Technical Secretariat of the Office of the Attorney General of the State.
- Elvira Cortajarena Iturrioz: Social Work expert. Deputy in the Congress of Deputies between 1996 and 2009, during the approval of the LOVG. Among other positions she has been a delegate of the Basque Government in Argentina, Brazil, Paraguay and Uruguay.
- Fernando Puig de la Bellacasa and Aguirre: senior official, has held, among others, the positions of Secretary of State for Territorial Cooperation (2007-2009), Undersecretary for Health and Consumer Affairs (2004-2007) and Undersecretary for the Interior (1993-1994).
- Gregorio Fish-Barba (posthumously): jurist, politician and one of the “fathers” of the Constitution. During the approval of the LOVG he was rector of the Carlos III University of Madrid.
- Luis Mardones Sevilla (posthumously): Bachelor and Doctor in Veterinary and Social Graduate. Member of the Congress of Deputies for Santa Cruz de Tenerife from 1982 to 2008, when the LOVG was approved, by Coalition Canaria. Among other positions, he was civil governor of Santa Cruz de Tenerife and Deputy Secretary of Consumption of the Ministry of Health.
- Fernando Valdés Dal-Ré (posthumously): jurist and professor of Labor Law at the Complutense University of Madrid. Judge of the Constitutional Court between 2012 and 2020.