Care Burden Limits Women's Political Participation Amidst Policy Debates in Pernambuco
Women’s political participation in Brazil is hindered by care responsibilities, prompting public debates and policy steps in Pernambuco to address care work.
- • Women’s political participation remains limited due to caregiving seen as exclusively women's responsibility.
- • Amanda de Albuquerque of A Ponte emphasizes care inequality impacts women’s political engagement.
- • A public hearing in Pernambuco discussed implementing the National Care Policy to alleviate care burdens.
- • The National Care Policy allocates R$25 million over 2025-2027 to support care initiatives and reduce unpaid care work on women.
Key details
Women's participation in Brazilian politics remains constrained due to the prevailing societal expectation that caregiving is exclusively their responsibility. Amanda de Albuquerque, an economist and executive director of the nonprofit A Ponte, highlighted in an interview that this gendered imbalance in care responsibilities directly affects women's civic engagement and political involvement. A Ponte actively supports women in political offices, advocating for gender equity across local and state mandates nationwide.
On June 11, a public hearing convened at the Legislative Assembly of Pernambuco addressed the implementation of the National Care Policy in the state. This hearing featured Laís Abramo, the national secretary of care and family from the Federal Government, along with Pernambuco government representatives, gender and care experts, and political leaders. Organizer Dani Portela (PT), chair of Alepe's Citizenship, Human Rights, and Popular Participation Commission, emphasized the necessity of a robust state plan to access federal funding and ensure care does not deepen existing inequalities.
Pernambuco joined the National Care Plan at the beginning of 2026 but is required to present an actionable public policy framework to receive federal funds. The policy targets key groups including children, the elderly, persons with disabilities, and caregivers themselves. Established by President Lula's government in 2024, the National Care Policy seeks to alleviate the burden of unpaid care work that disproportionately affects women. Between 2025 and 2027, R$25 million has been earmarked for investments in care-related initiatives spanning education, health, and social assistance, with R$8 million allocated annually.
Practical benefits of the policy are already visible; for example, the municipality of Caruaru received a publicly funded laundry facility offering free washing resources to families in the CadÚnico program. This approach underlines the principle that caregiving is a shared responsibility among the state, families, and private sector.
The combination of advocacy by women's organizations like A Ponte and public policy efforts in Pernambuco illustrates ongoing efforts to dismantle systemic barriers created by unequal care burdens, aiming for greater female participation in political life.
This article was translated and synthesized from Brazilian sources, providing English-speaking readers with local perspectives.
