Women in politics among Brazil’s greatest challenges

International Women’s Day, celebrated on March 8, has rekindled the gender debate. Social transformations are very much desired in Brazil, and, in 2014, an election year in the country, women’s low participation in politics has been subject to increasingly heated criticism. In spite of accounting for 52% of electors, Brazilian women do not stand for more than 10% of Congress members, according to the Brazilian Institute of Geography and Statistics (“IBGE”).

For sociologist Joluzia Batista, from the Feminist Center for Studies and Advisory Services, it is necessary to rethink Brazilian politics and put an end to culture of sexism in the country. She further says that the system which makes it mandatory for political parties to have 30% of their seats occupied by women is not observed. Batista suggests another system, under which 50% of the candidates are male and 50% female, as well as a political reform.

“Female candidates, especially those with a history of struggles on behalf of the people and the communities, are not likely to get funds. This is a crucial piece of information. So much so that we support the reform in the political system, and one of the issues is public funding for the campaign,” Batista said.

Women’s Attorney in the Senate Vanessa Grazziotin also argues for a political reform as a way to increase women’s participation in politics. She admits they have a strong voice today, but the senator says it should be made even stronger. Brazil ranks 156th among 188 countries according to female representation in their legislative power.

“Sadly, the face of Parliament and politics in Brazil today is a masculine one. And there must be two sides to this face: a masculine and a feminine one,” Grazziotin stated.

The president of the Superior Electoral Court, Minister Marco Aurélio Mello, agrees that women do not participate in politics as they should: “Unfortunately we live in a sexist country, and women are not given a chance to participate as a candidate the way they should.”

In spite of their low representation, the history of women in Brazilian politics is an old one. Fifty years ago, when the military started a dictatorship, they made their presence felt. Activist Maria Amélia Teles was among the women who fought the regime. She was arrested along with her husband, her pregnant sister and her two children. Now she is a member of the Truth Commission of São Paulo and has a lot to say about this period: “It’s a history full of violence and this violence must be brought back to mind so that it doesn’t happen again, so that the State improves and consolidates democracy and doesn’t resort to authoritarianism and terror. The State brought about the effects of this terror upon the entire society with much repression, censorship and persecution.”

From 1964 to the present day, the participation of women in politics has increased, but it still leaves a lot to be desired, scholars say. And in order to change this scenario, the Superior Electoral Court is organizing a campaign to encourage women’s presence in politics.

Translated by Fabrício Ferreira