Brazil Confronts Rising Gender Violence and Political Violence Against Women Ahead of 2026 Elections
Brazil faces escalating gender violence linked to firearms policies and increased political violence against women ahead of the 2026 elections, prompting new campaigns and legal measures.
- • Women are the majority of Brazil's electorate but face rising gender violence linked to Bolsonaro-era gun policies.
- • Feminicides reached a historic high of 1,437 cases in 2022, with firearms substantially increasing domestic violence lethality.
- • The Lula government is tightening gun control and enhancing programs to combat gender violence.
- • The MPF and TSE launched a campaign to combat political violence against women, with cases rising sharply since 2021.
- • Approximately 400 cases of gender political violence are being monitored ahead of the 2026 elections.
Key details
As Brazil approaches its October 4, 2026 elections, the safety of women—both as citizens and political participants—has taken center stage amid troubling trends linked to firearms policies and political violence. Women represent the majority of Brazilian voters, with 81.8 million (52.4%) according to the Tribunal Superior Eleitoral (TSE), yet they continue to face significant risks and underrepresentation.
The legacy of firearm liberalization during Jair Bolsonaro's presidency (2019-2022) has been tied to a surge in gender violence and feminicides, which hit a record 1,437 cases in 2022 based on data from the Fórum Brasileiro de Segurança Pública (FBSP). Amanda Corcino, secretary for Women's Workers at CUT, underscored that the rise of extreme right-wing influence normalized violence against women, thereby increasing femicide risks. Research indicates that domestic violence incidents involving firearms have an 85% higher chance of turning fatal, with guns often wielded as tools of intimidation within homes.
In response, the current Lula administration is reversing these armamentist policies, strengthening gun control measures, and enhancing women's rights programs such as Casa da Mulher Brasileira and the Pacto Nacional de Prevenção aos Feminicídios. Despite these efforts, women remain profoundly underrepresented in political office, maintaining a critical gap between electoral power and societal presence.
Simultaneously, political violence against women has emerged as a growing threat. Following the enactment of Law No. 14.192 in 2021—which criminalizes gender-based political violence—cases saw a stark increase from 15 in 2022 to 177 in 2023, 26 of which are connected to the upcoming elections. To combat this, the Federal Public Ministry (MPF) and TSE have launched the "Politics is a feminine noun" campaign to raise societal awareness and provide tools for reporting violence against women in politics. The campaign uses educational materials and AI-generated fictional representations to protect identities while highlighting approximately 400 ongoing monitored cases.
Raquel Branquinho, coordinator of MPF's Working Group on Prevention and Combating Gender Political Violence, stressed the importance of collective vigilance and reporting to safeguard women's political participation and the integrity of Brazilian democracy.
As the electoral process unfolds, the intersection of gun policies and political violence against women remains a frontline issue, demanding continued legal reforms and societal mobilization to ensure women's safety and equal political representation in Brazil.
This article was translated and synthesized from Brazilian sources, providing English-speaking readers with local perspectives.
