Brazil unveils plan targeting perpetrators of violence against women
A few days before International Women’s Day, celebrated on March 8, a committee made up of representatives from Brazil’s three branches of government presented a plan on Wednesday (Mar. 4) to combat gender-based violence in the country. One of the highlights of the initiative is a nationwide effort to execute approximately 1,000 arrest warrants against perpetrators who remain at large throughout the country.
The joint effort will be spearheaded nationally by the Ministry of Justice and Public Security, in collaboration with state security forces.
In addition to carrying out operations to enforce arrest warrants, plans include the adoption of a tracking system for aggressors whose victims are under protective measures, in addition to a new integrated center for women’s safety, to centralize data and monitoring.
The measures were announced during a seminar entitled Brazil for the Lives of Girls and Women, held by the Council for Sustainable Economic and Social Development and the Ministry of Women at the Planalto presidential palace.
The event, attended by President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva, was also joined by Brazilian activist Maria da Penha Maia Fernandes, who, after surviving two attempts at femicide, fought to have her attacker convicted. A pharmacist, Maria da Penha lends her name to the main mechanism for curbing domestic and family violence against women in Brazil – the Maria da Penha Law, passed in 2006.
“Dynamic in nature and subject to constant updates, the plan focuses primarily on three challenges: speeding up emergency protective measures and holding perpetrators accountable; strengthening the network of shelters and services for women experiencing violence; and bringing about cultural change to create a country where women can live in safety and peace,” the government said in a statement.
Established about a month ago, the National Pact – Brazil Against Femicide is a coordinated and permanent initiative between the three branches of government with the aim of preventing violence against girls and women in Brazil.
The agreement recognizes that violence against women in the country is a structural crisis that cannot be addressed by isolated actions.
