Brazil Strengthens Legal Frameworks to Combat Gender-Based Political Violence
Brazil enhances legal protocols and holds hearings to combat gender-based political violence and protect women in politics.
- • Brazil's Electoral Public Ministry signed a protocol to protect women from political violence and ensure fast investigations.
- • The protocol involves multiple institutions and prioritizes case handling to avoid victim re-traumatization.
- • Law 14.192/21 criminalizes harassment and threats against female political figures with jail terms of 1 to 4 years.
- • A Belo Horizonte City Council hearing highlighted ongoing threats to female politicians, underscoring the underrepresentation of women in politics.
- • Minister of Women Márcia Lopes stressed the need for both legal and institutional support for victims.
Key details
On March 25, 2026, Brazil took significant steps to combat political violence against women through coordinated legal and institutional initiatives. The Electoral Public Ministry (MP Eleitoral) signed a protocol establishing guidelines for protecting victims and ensuring rapid, thorough investigations into cases of gender-based political violence. This protocol, signed by the Deputy Attorney General Alexandre Espinosa and representatives from bodies including the National Council of the Public Ministry and the Ministry of Women, aims to create safer political environments for women and guarantee accountability for aggressors.
The protocol prioritizes cases of political violence against women, outlining a flow for handling complaints, preserving evidence, and providing victim support without re-victimization. It mandates all institutions treat such cases with urgency, forwarding investigations to the MP Eleitoral for prosecution. This legal framework builds on Law 14.192/21, which criminalizes harassment and threats against female political candidates and officeholders, with penalties of one to four years imprisonment.
Coinciding with the protocol signing, the Women's Committee of the Belo Horizonte City Council organized a public hearing on March 26 to discuss gender-based political violence and the effectiveness of existing protection mechanisms. The hearing was prompted by recent threats against Councilor Juhlia Santos, which were racist and transphobic in nature, highlighting the grave risks women face in politics. The hearing also reflected on the broader issue that, despite women comprising more than half of the electorate, they hold less than 20% of legislative posts in Brazil due in part to such violence.
These initiatives reflect a growing commitment within the Brazilian government and judicial system to tackle political violence against women by combining legal measures, institutional cooperation, and public discussion. Minister of Women Márcia Lopes emphasized the importance of not only legal protection but also providing institutional and human support for victims. The developments signify a coordinated approach across justice and executive bodies to facilitate women’s full and safe participation in political life.
This article was translated and synthesized from Brazilian sources, providing English-speaking readers with local perspectives.
