Women still largely shut out of Brazilian politics
Source: Valor International
As usual, Congress gathers around this time of year to try to extract some electoral advantage from International Women’s Day. Close to March 8, lawmakers typically hold a joint effort to approve measures aimed at female voters—initiatives that, on their merits, few would oppose. They include important proposals to combat violence and femicide and to promote health programs specifically focused on women. But it is necessary to scratch beneath the surface.
Amid interruptions and ongoing threats, misogyny remains a constant in parliamentary relations. There will be relatively few female candidates for state governorships and, at the national level, after many years the presidential election will not feature a woman’s name on the ballot.
This is not unique to Brazil. A recent report by the Inter-Parliamentary Union (IPU), an international organization founded in 1889 that brings together legislatures from 183 countries, shows that as of January 2026 women hold only 27.5% of the seats in the 49 parliaments that underwent renewal, a slight increase compared with the 27.2% recorded a year earlier. According to the organization, the positive fluctuation repeats the pace observed in 2024, marking the slowest growth since 2017 for the second consecutive year.
As usual, Congress gathers around this time of year to try to extract some electoral advantage from International Women’s Day. Close to March 8, lawmakers typically hold a joint effort to approve measures aimed at female voters—initiatives that, on their merits, few would oppose. They include important proposals to combat violence and femicide and to promote health programs specifically focused on women. But it is necessary to scratch beneath the surface.
Amid interruptions and ongoing threats, misogyny remains a constant in parliamentary relations. There will be relatively few female candidates for state governorships and, at the national level, after many years the presidential election will not feature a woman’s name on the ballot.
This is not unique to Brazil. A recent report by the Inter-Parliamentary Union (IPU), an international organization founded in 1889 that brings together legislatures from 183 countries, shows that as of January 2026 women hold only 27.5% of the seats in the 49 parliaments that underwent renewal, a slight increase compared with the 27.2% recorded a year earlier. According to the organization, the positive fluctuation repeats the pace observed in 2024, marking the slowest growth since 2017 for the second consecutive year.