Table 2 Gender mainstreaming of the support plans for informal care in the UK and Andalusia: symbolic contents and operational contents
Symbolic contentsUKAndalusia
Theoretical framework
Governing principles that promote non-sexist ways of caring for dependent personsNoNo
Knowledge of feminisation and its impact on informal carers’ healthNoYes
Consultation with experts in gender issues and informal careNoNo
Consultation with informal carers themselvesNoYes
Acknowledgement of women carers’ expertiseYesYes
Visibility of the sexual distribution of care tasksNoNo
Visibility of the economic, social, and historical contribution of women carersNoNo
Women’s right not to provide care∗∗
Situation analysis
Informal care data broken down by sexNoYes
Informal care data analysed by sexNoNo
Informal care data on diversity and vulnerability∗No
Informal care data on whether carers live with the dependent person∗No
Informal care data on relationships∗Yes
Impact of informal care on health and quality of lifeYesYes
Informal care burdenYesYes
Carers’ needs: reproduction; double shifts; lower salaries; caring for the rest of the family; gender bias in social health careNoNo
Operational contents
Proposals
Objectives to overcome gender inequalities and imbalances between women and men carersNoNo
Objectives to supersede the informal care situationNoNo
Objectives on women and men carers’ specific needsYesYes
Objectives regarding healthcare coverage for carersYesYes
Objectives to improve carers’ healthYesYes
Actions
Positive actions that equalise, promote and transformYes∗
Daily interestsYesYes
Strategic interestsNoNo
Individual, non-subrogated rightsYes∗
Budgets that are sensitive to gender and informal careNoNo
Justification of interventions with data broken down by sexNoNo
Evaluation of the differential impact of the plan for women and men carersNoNo
Equivalent benefits for women and men carersNoNo

  • ∗The category is not present in the plan with the exact meaning, but in a similar sense.