Brazil Advances Gender Equity in Science with New Bill and Recognitions
Brazil advances efforts to promote women in science and technology through legislative reforms and recognition of leading female researchers impacting public policy.
- • Brazil's Education Commission approved a bill to support women's inclusion in science, including special evaluation regimes for caregivers.
- • The Meninas Tec program encourages girls' interest in science and technology through workshops and talks.
- • INMA researchers Juliana Hipólito and Blandina Felipe Viana are among the most cited scientists influencing public policy globally.
- • The MCTI promotes female representation via initiatives such as the Prêmio Mulheres e Ciência with cash awards.
- • Gender disparities remain, with only 22 women among 107 top Brazilian scientists influencing policy, highlighting the need for further inclusion efforts.
Key details
Brazil is making significant strides to promote gender equity in science and technology through new legislative and recognition initiatives. The Education Commission of the Brazilian Chamber of Deputies has recently approved a bill aiming to boost women's inclusion in these fields. This bill introduces a special evaluation regime for academic production for mothers or caregivers of disabled or seriously ill relatives, ensuring fairer assessments for research funding and education. It also extends evaluation periods for visiting professors with caregiving responsibilities and mandates public research funding agencies like CAPES to establish equity criteria facilitating women's participation. The bill additionally launches the Meninas na Ciência e Tecnologia (Meninas Tec) program to inspire young girls in basic education to pursue science and technology, promoting workshops and talks led by female leaders. Rapporteur Franciane Bayer emphasized that excluding women from scientific opportunities is a social injustice impeding national development. The bill, which modifies five existing laws, is now pending review by the Committee on Constitution and Justice and Citizenship before the Plenary.
In parallel with legislative progress, female scientists at the National Institute of the Atlantic Forest (INMA), under the Ministry of Science, Technology, and Innovation (MCTI), are gaining international recognition. Researchers Juliana Hipólito and Blandina Felipe Viana rank among the 107 most cited Brazilian scientists worldwide influencing public policy, according to a study by Oventen. Hipólito's 12 articles cited in 204 documents and Viana's 27 articles cited in 256 documents reflect impactful research on pollination, conservation, and sustainable agricultural practices. Viana underscored the need for improved tracking of scientific research's policy impact in Brazil. Notably, the study revealed only 22 women among the 107 influential researchers, highlighting persistent gender gaps, especially in fields like climate and energy. To address this disparity, MCTI has launched the Prêmio Mulheres e Ciência, an award acknowledging outstanding female contributions with cash prizes ranging from R$ 5,000 to R$ 50,000, with applications open until November 24, 2025.
Together, these developments represent Brazil's concerted efforts to enhance female representation and influence in science and technology, combining policy reform, support programs, and public recognition to foster inclusion and equitable participation.