Brazil lags far behind on women’s participation in politics

Welcome to “Number of the Week,” where we choose a single figure that helps understand what is going on in Brazil. This week, we show that in politics, achieving gender equality is a long way away for Brazil.

142nd

Brazil’s global rank in women’s participation in politics

In December last year, São Paulo state congressman Fernando Cury was accused of having sexually harassed congresswoman Isa Penna. Mr. Cury was caught on state legislature house cameras groping Ms. Pena’s back during a plenary session. However, it was only this Monday, almost a year after the incident, that the state directorship of the Cidadania party in São Paulo decided to expel the congressman.

This is just one of several cases of abuse – a category that also includes threats and name-calling – suffered by women in legislative houses across Brazil. Another case, which could be considered “political femicide” and which gained international notoriety, was the murder of Marielle Franco, a black city councilor...