Tocantins Hosts Dialogue to Boost Women's Political Participation Amid Low Representation
A major dialogue in Araguaína spotlights the underrepresentation of women in Tocantins politics and encourages greater female political engagement.
- • Over 200 people attended a TRE-TO event in Araguaína highlighting women's political participation challenges.
- • No women were elected in the last municipal elections in Araguaína, and women hold no seats in Tocantins' Chamber of Deputies.
- • Women constituted the majority of the electorate, despite low elected female representation (21%).
- • Officials emphasized the importance of women's involvement and hope for increased female candidacies in upcoming elections.
Key details
On March 22, the Regional Electoral Court of Tocantins (TRE-TO) convened a significant discussion titled 'Women in Politics: Strengthening Democracy' at the Araguaína Forum, drawing over 200 attendees from public servants to community members. The event was part of the +Women +Democracy program aiming to empower women politically, amidst stark underrepresentation in the region's elected offices.
Judge Milene de Carvalho Henrique emphasized the societal loss from excluding women from politics, saying, 'It is a detriment to society to keep women out of politics, as they bring balance and possess many qualities.' Despite women constituting the majority of Araguaína's electorate, no women were elected in the last municipal elections. Across Tocantins, there are no female members in the Chamber of Deputies, and women only represented 21% of elected candidates in 2024.
Mediator Wagna Cristiane Ribeiro dos Santos reinforced the call for greater female participation, declaring, 'Women are just as capable as men and can occupy positions of power.' The event included cultural presentations by local youth and women's groups, further highlighting the importance of female voices in governance.
The TRE-TO officials expressed hope that raising awareness through such dialogues would lead to more women running for office in future Tocantins elections, seeking to change the current gender imbalance in political representation.