Brazil’s Women’s Movement Is Stung by Election Results
- Females now hold 15% of seats in both houses of Congress
- Women represent over half Brazil’s population and electorate
Photographer: Nelson Almeida/AFP via Getty Images
For the millions of Brazilian women pushing to advance equal rights and representation, Sunday’s elections were a flop. Not only did the presidential candidate who was targeted by the #NotHim movement for his vulgar, sexist remarks post a resounding first-round victory, but fewer women were elected to Congress than hoped.
Female representation in the Senate remained flat at just 12 of 81 seats. In the lower house the numbers were a bit better: Women took 15 percent of seats, up from 10 percent in 2014. But three states -- Amazonas, Maranhao and Sergipe -- didn’t elect a single female lawmaker among them. What’s more, that 15 percent figure still pales in comparison to the 40 percent representation that women have in Argentina’s Congress and the 50 percent they have in Mexico.