Michel Pasteel

The Institute for the Equality of Women and Men is a Belgian federal institution created in 2002 which aims to guarantee and promote the equality of women and men as well as fight against any form of gender-based discrimination and inequality. Its principal mission is to work towards a situation where equality between women and men is seen as entirely natural in people’s mentalities and their daily lives. The Institute consists of different units active in various fields of activity such as, for example, gender mainstreaming, employment, combating domestic violence, and research. A legal unit has been set up to deal with complaints from victims of gender discrimination.